Who Lives and Who Dies
by PitchHabrosus34
Summary: Doctor Who season 4 and specials rewrite  starting with The Unicorn and the Wasp  with a new companion inserted - Shawn Farrell.  It's a tumultuous ride for both the Doctor and Shawn.  Neither of them actually want him there.
1. The Appointment

**Who Lives and Who Dies**

I've been following Doctor Who: Series 5 (written by JeffAndTheWorld) and I also read Fear Before Courage (written by Namazukage7) and the combination inspired me to insert a new companion into extended continuity. I considered several people (I don't have enough creativity for an OC), such as a Supernatural Winchester brother, teenage Franklin Richards, Peter Bishop, and Andrew van de Kamp. I wanted a guy to balance out the women in the show. It ultimately came down to Jack O'Neill's clone and Shawn Farrell. Shawn won out because I'd probably make Jack O'Neill's clone a Mary Sue.

This is in the style of Doctor Who: Series 5 in which episodes are rewritten with the new companion and is therefore AU. However, I like the idea (that was briefly touched upon in the beginning of Fear Before Courage and coincidentally mentioned in tonight's "The Girl Who Waited" episode) of a companion disliking and distrusting the Doctor, so I've expanded on that a lot. Anyway, enough talking. Here's how the Doctor and Shawn meet . . .

Chapter 1: The Appointment

Taking all things into consideration, undercover work with temporarily dyed black hair and colored contact lenses shouldn't have been strange for Shawn Farrell. Nonetheless, Shawn felt uneasy navigating through the lies that Jordan had made for him, especially with Andrea at his side.

Jordan had heard murmurs about a healer in Utah. However, neither the name of the healer, Ross Carmen, nor his specific location matched the records of any of the 4400 returnees. Jordan, then, sent Shawn and his unique perspective to investigate. Jordan also sent Andrea Curbishley, a 4400 Center employee suffering from migraines but declined to be treated by Shawn. Andrea knew that Shawn had been using his powers regularly to help the 4400 Center and she didn't want to add to his burden despite his arguments to the contrary.

"Hello, my name is Daniel Wyatt. This is my fiancée, Elizabeth Acheson," Shawn told the receptionist. Jordan spent four days working through various channels to secure a "homeopathic consultation" appointment. During that time, Shawn and Andrea became more familiar with each other to carry out the act and eventually became good friends.

"Please have a seat, Mr. Wyatt, Miss Acheson. Dr. Carmen will be with you shortly." The receptionist, Brett Lemay, was friendly and very well dressed.

Nearby outside, the Doctor and Donna Noble emerged from the TARDIS.

"Why did you suddenly want to leave the Grand Canyon and come to Utah?" Donna asked.

"The sensors picked up something in the area, technology that might have originated from Gallifrey." The Doctor held up a handheld device and followed it into an office building.

In Ross Carmen's office, Andrea laid down under a machine with Shawn standing nearby. Ross turned the machine on after injecting a liquid into Andrea. Then, he held her hand.

"Just give it a moment, Elizabeth."

The Doctor's handheld device went off.

"We're close!" the Doctor exclaimed. He eventually made his way into Ross' office.

"Hi! How may I help you?" Brett asked.

Holding his psychic paper up, the Doctor answered. "I'm with the power company. We've been detecting unusual amounts of consumption from your office. Is this office using any special technical equipment?"

"Yes, Doctor Carmen has a machine he uses for his patients. We have everything cleared with that."

"Is he using the machine now?"

"Yes."

The Doctor ran off towards the machine. Brett tried to follow, but Donna stepped in.

"It's very important that the machine be inspected before it's used again," Donna said. "Do you know when Dr. Carmen purchased it?"

"I don't know. He had the machine before I started working here."

While Donna distracted Brett with questions, Ross continued to treat Andrea.

"How are you feeling Elizabeth?" Shawn asked.

"I think it's helping, Daniel. I feel a warm glow throughout my body."

"Do you treat specific areas?" Shawn asked Ross.

"It's pinpointed at areas that need repair, but it helps rejuvenate other parts of the body as well."

Suddenly, the Doctor burst in. Ross and Shawn were surprised by him and stared while Andrea continued lying under the machine. The Doctor paid no attention to the looks he was receiving as he investigated the machine.

"Some parts of the technology certainly originated from Gallifrey, but it's been altered repeatedly. It's almost unrecognizable from its original form."

"Excuse me!" Ross interrupted. "Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor. Who are you?"

Shawn stood up.

"I'm Doctor Ross Carmen. You are intruding – "

"I meant species. What species are you? You're certainly not human . . . "

Shawn turned to Ross while Andrea slowly regained her composure.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ross said.

"And you two?" the Doctor asked, referring to Shawn and Andrea.

"We came here for help," Shawn answered. "My fiancée has been getting headaches." He turned to Ross. "What did he mean by you're not human?"

Andrea started to get up.

"This man does not know what he's talking about," Ross answered. "Elizabeth, please lie back down." Ross put a hand on Andrea's shoulder.

"I'd like to get up now, please," Andrea said.

"We must continue this treatment. Brett! I need you!"

"Wait, what's going on?" Shawn asked.

"How did you get this technology?" the Doctor asked. "Where are you from?"

"Please let me up, Doctor Carmen. Shawn . . ."

Ross looked at Shawn. "Shawn?"

Shawn looked stunned. He didn't know how to react.

"Are you three here to trap me? Brett!"

The Doctor said nothing as he watched Shawn defend himself.

"No, Shawn is my middle name. We just came here for your help."

Anger and suspicion swept across Ross' face and the Doctor saw a flash of something.

"Krillitane," the Doctor simply said as Brett finally appeared with Donna following.

"What?" Shawn asked.

Ross pulled Andrea up and changed his form, resembling a bat. He held Andrea by her neck using his right hand.

"I was right," the Doctor claimed.

Donna backed away from Brett, but maintained eye contact.

"Don't look at me that way," Brett said. "I had no idea about this."

"Let the girl go," the Doctor asked.

"You are all here to destroy me," Ross claimed as he secretly reached into a cabinet behind him with his left hand.

"No!" Shawn cried. "I'm one of the 4400. I have the power to manipulate life force. I can heal. We just came to learn about you. It's not you that does the work, is it?"

No one spoke for a brief second.

"Please," Shawn said. "Please let her go."

"You should know better than to pose as a human," the Doctor said. "You should have known that this wasn't the way. I'll give you one chance to end this."

"I don't think you're helping," Shawn told the Doctor. He looked at the Krillitane. "My fiancée and I came for genuine reasons."

"I don't believe you."

"You don't know the trouble that I can give you. I've defeated your kind before. I am giving you one chance," the Doctor repeated.

"I'll take my other chances, you fool," Ross replied with what looked like a smirk. Very quickly, Ross crushed Andrea's neck with his right hand. With his left hand, he pulled out a weapon and shot Shawn in the chest with a laser beam. He moved to his right and prepared to shoot the Doctor.

Suddenly, a bullet pierced Ross' neck. It came from Brett. However, Ross was still able to send a shot at the Doctor before dying.

Donna tended to the Doctor while Brett confirmed that Shawn and Andrea were dead.

"You brought a gun to work?" Donna asked Brett while trying to wake the Doctor up.

"Dr. Carmen requested that I do," Brett answered.

The Doctor finally stirred. "I'm all right. I'll be fine." He tried to stand up, but had a lot of difficulty.

"Maybe you should just lie there for a bit, Doctor," Donna suggested.

The Doctor looked at Shawn. "No," he said. "There's a chance I can save him."

With Donna's and Brett's help, the Doctor put Shawn under the machine and activated it. The Doctor then put his hands on Shawn's face and closed his eyes. Sparks started to fly from the machine. After a few minutes, the Doctor passed out.

Thirty minutes later, the Doctor woke up. Twenty minutes after that, Shawn woke up as well.

The first thing Shawn saw was the Doctor watching him.

"How are you feeling?" the Doctor asked.

"I'm okay. What happened? I thought I was dying."

"Some parts of the machine were accessible to me because of my physiology in a way that isn't accessible to anyone else alive. I was able to use the machine and my own skills to form a telepathic link between the two of us. I jumpstarted your power so you could heal yourself. That's how you survived. It was a two-way process, so you healed me, too. You wouldn't have been able to heal me otherwise. A shame it's broken now."

Shawn noticed the Doctor's grim tone and expression.

"Andrea?"

"I'm sorry, but she's dead."

Shawn tried to get up.

"Shawn, even if she wasn't too far gone, you aren't in any condition to do anything. I'm sorry."

The Doctor's grimness did not let up.

"What is it?" Shawn asked. "Is there something else?"

"The process bonded us together temporarily. Our health is dependent on that bond. I told you that you healed me. I was shot, but not as bad as you were. If we were to separate, be away from each other, my health would deteriorate back to that point. Your health would also deteriorate to the point before you healed yourself."

"I'd die?"

"I'm sorry."

"When you say it's temporary, does that mean we can eventually be apart again?

"Yeah."

"And how long would that take?"

"I don't know . . . anywhere from a couple days to several months."

"Months?"

"It's hard to tell."

"What about nanogenes?" Donna asked. She had been in the room during the exchange. "Doctor, you told me about nanogenes before. If you two separated, could we use them to heal you?

"There's a lot going on, Donna," the Doctor answered. "It's a big risk." The Doctor looked at Shawn. "If it was just my health, I would take the risk. I would even leave, no nanogenes needed, I would be fine, but I can't let you take that risk with your life."

Shawn sighed and sat up. He noticed Andrea's body lying on the floor, covered.

"This is your fault," Shawn said quietly.

"I know," the Doctor answered.

"I knew it wasn't Dr. Carmen himself. I guessed it was the machine. I got what we came for and we were going to leave and that was it."

The Doctor didn't respond.

"Are you a 4400 returnee?" Shawn asked.

"No."

"Are you an alien?"

"Yes."

"How about you?" Shawn asked Donna.

"I'm human."

"I need to talk to Jordan."

"What about the receptionist?" Jordan asked on the phone.

"He left. Given what he saw, the Doctor thinks the receptionist will just disappear."

"I'll send some people over there to clean up. Shawn, I think you should lay low for a while until we figure out the implications of this."

"You don't want me back?"

"I do; of course I do. I just think it's safer if you keep your distance from Seattle for a short while. Just a little while, Shawn."

"Okay."

"You'll be all right, Shawn. We'll keep in touch regularly."

"All right."

"You should leave that place now. Right away."

Shawn soon went back to the Doctor and Donna and the three walked out.

"I don't have anywhere to go now," Shawn said.

"You could come with us, then, instead of us staying here," Donna responded. "We go to different places and times."

"What?"

"This blue box takes us anywhere and anytime we want," the Doctor said as the three neared the TARDIS."

"We went to the planets Messaline and Ood-Sphere recently. In the future," Donna said. "We also went to Pompeii in the past."

"It'll make your time with me a bit more bearable. There's a lot to see and do out there, Shawn."

Shawn sighed. He looked at Donna; her enthusiasm was clear.

"Can you take me to Earth's future? I want to meet the people responsible for the 4400."

"Bad idea," the Doctor said. "That could endanger the timeline. It's a part of your established personal history. Anywhere else."

"Anywhere?"

"And anywhen," Donna said.

Shawn sighed. "All right. Let's go."

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading. Next up: The Unicorn and the Wasp. The adventures will start there and end with The Waters of Mars. Also, in the spirit of AU (and to warn fans of The Next Doctor), the TARDIS will not take the Doctor and Shawn to Victorian London after Journey's End. It will instead take them to someplace the Eleventh Doctor randomly visited in the TV series (and of course would end up not visiting in this AU if this story got that far). I hope the reason will be clear when the substitute story is published.<p> 


	2. The Unicorn and the Wasp

**Who Lives and Who Dies**

I forgot to mention before that from Shawn's perspective, all this takes place around the season 2 episode "Weight of the World." I also wanted to mention that the effect of Shawn's presence on the plots will vary a lot between the chapters.

Chapter 2: The (Unicorn and the) Wasp

Shawn was still entranced by the TARDIS' interior when the Doctor and Donna were talking about their next destination. He might have heard something about Zog or a beach, but he wasn't sure. The TARDIS made the same noise it made when it was departing, so Shawn assumed that they had landed somewhere.

The Doctor was the first one out the door. "Smell that air. Grass and lemonade . . . and a little bit of mint. A hint of mint, must be the 1920s."

"Are you serious?" Shawn asked.

"Of course!" the Doctor replied. "The smell definitely gives it away."

"Are you sure it's not that big vintage car coming up the drive?" Donna asked.

"That . . . helped," the Doctor said timidly.

The Doctor advanced to another part of the estate and Donna and Shawn followed him. They stopped at some bushes to overhear a conversation between three men.

"Never mind Planet Zog, a party in the 1920s, that's more like it!" Donna exclaimed.

"Problem is, we haven't been invited," the Doctor said before holding his psychic paper. "Oh, I forgot. Yes we have!" The Doctor said before turning back to the TARDIS.

"What is that?" Shawn asked Donna.

"Psychic paper," the Doctor replied. "It shows people whatever I want them to see, like an invitation. Now, you two need to get dressed."

Following the Doctor's instructions, Shawn retrieved a suit and tie from a large closet. After getting dressed, he waited in the TARDIS by the door for Donna.

Donna finally emerged with a dark printed sleeveless dress and a necklace. She also put her hair up.

"You look very nice," Shawn told her.

Donna beamed. "Thank you."

Shawn opened the door for Donna, allowing her to exit first.

"What do you think? Flapper or slapper?" Donna asked the Doctor.

"Flapper! Lovely!" the Doctor answered.

Shawn looked at the Doctor. "I'll just assume this is good."

"Definitely. It looks good on you, Shawn," the Doctor said, smiling.

The three then headed to an exquisite outdoor layout and Shawn heard a South Asian woman telling people to be ready for the guests.

A butler approached.

"Drinks, sir? Ma'am?" The man asked.

"Sidecar, please," Donna requested.

"And a lime and a soda," the Doctor said.

"Ummm . . . I'll just have water," Shawn answered.

"May I announce, Lady Clemency Eddison," another man said.

The Doctor turned around and held out his hands to shake Eddison's. "Lady Eddison!"

"Forgive me, but who exactly might you be . . . and what are you doing here?"

"I'm the Doctor. And this is Miss Donna Noble . . . of the, Chiswick Nobles. This is Shawn Farrell. He's from the United States. We were thrilled to receive your invitation, my lady. We met at the ambassador's reception," the Doctor said while using his psychic paper.

"Doctor, how could I forget you? But one must be sure with the Unicorn on the loose."

Shawn frowned slightly at how easy deception came to the Doctor and Lady Eddison.

"A unicorn? Brilliant! Where?"

"_The _Unicorn. The jewel thief. And nobody knows who he is. He's just struck again, snatched Lady Babbington's pearls right from under her nose."

"Funny place to wear pearls," Donna said quietly.

Behind the Doctor and Donna, Shawn smiled, despite having head the joke before.

Announcements and introductions continued. Reverend Golightly caught Shawn's eyes. He noticed the same falseness in his demeanor that he saw in the Doctor and Lady Eddison when the reverend was talking about apprehending thieves at church.

"As the Christian Fathers taught me," Golightly was saying, "we must forgive them their trespasses. Quite literally."

"Some of these young boys deserve a descent thrashing," Roger commented.

"Couldn't agree more, sir," Davenport said as he looked at Roger.

"Typical," Donna said. "All the decent men are on the other bus or preoccupied with their kidnapping."

"As I recall, I was willing to stay in the United States," the Doctor responded.

"Now, my lady," Roger said, "what about this special guest you promised us?"

The Doctor and Shawn noticed a blonde woman approaching.

"Here she is," Lady Eddison replied, "a lady who needs no introduction!"

The invited guests started clapping. Shawn joined in despite not knowing who was coming, prompting the Doctor and Donna to put down their glasses and clap, too.

"No, no, please. Don't. Thank you, Lady Eddison. Honestly, there's no need," the woman said as she approached the Doctor and held out her hand. "Agatha Christie."

"What about her?" Donna asked.

"That's me."

Shawn's eyes widened.

"Noooo . . . you're kidding." Donna responded.

"Agatha Christie!" the Doctor exclaimed. "I was just talking about her the other day. I said, 'I bet she's brilliant.' I'm the Doctor and this is Donna and Shawn. Ohhh, I love your stuff. What a mind! You fool me every time. Well, almost every time. Well, once or twice. Well . . . "

"Get to the point, Doctor!" Shawn said.

"I love you!" the Doctor finished.

"Well, thank you very much," Agatha replied.

Lady Eddison approached. "Mrs. Christie, I'm so glad you could come. I'm one of your greatest followers. I've read all six of your books. Is, ah, Mr. Christie not joining us?"

"Is he needed? Can't a woman make her own way in the world?"

The colonel laughed. "Don't give her ideas."

"Now Mrs. Christie, I have a question. Why a Belgian detective?" Roger asked.

"Belgians make such lovely buns," Agatha responded, resulting in laughter.

Meanwhile, the Doctor grabbed the colonel's newspaper and caught Donna's and Shawn's attentions.

"I say, where on Earth is Professor Peach?" Roger asked. "He'd love to meet Mrs. Christie."

"Said he was going to the library," Golightly responded.

"Miss Chandrakala, would you go and collect the professor?" Lady Eddison requested.

"At once, my lady."

"The date on the newspaper," the Doctor quietly told Donna and Shawn.

"What about it?" Donna asked.

"It's the day Agatha Christie disappeared."

"What happened?"

"No one knows. She just vanished. Tomorrow, someone will find her car by the side of a lake. Later, she'll randomly turn up at a hotel."

"She never told anyone what happened?" Donna asked.

"She might not have even known. She said she lost her memory and she never talked about it again."

"Even after all this time, no one knew what happened?" Shawn asked.

"No, but people know that she had just discovered her husband was having an affair."

"She's smiling away, like nothing's happened," Donna said.

"Well, she's British and moneyed. That's what they do. They carry one. Usually."

Miss Chandrakala interrupted the discussion. She ran towards everyone, screaming. "Professor! The library! Murder! Murder!"

Shawn ran to her. "Where's the library?"

The Doctor, Donna, and Shawn soon dashed in. Shawn turned Professor Peach around and put his hands on the man's face. His act ended up being futile

"I couldn't save him," Shawn said after a short while.

"He's too far gone," the Doctor noted.

"What is gong on?" Agatha asked as she entered with Greeves.

"Bashed on the head," the Doctor said. "Blunt instrument. Watch broke as he fell, time of death was quarter past four." The Doctor stood up and looked through the papers on the desk.

"Bit of pipe," Donna noticed. "Call me Hercule Poirot, but I reckon that's blunt enough."

Agatha Christie noticed something on the floor and picked it up.

"Nothing worth killing for in that lot, dry as dust," the Doctor said, referring to the papers.

"Doctor," Donna said. "The body in the library? I mean, Professor Peach, in the library, with the lead piping?"

The others finally arrived.

"Let me see," Lady Eddison said.

"Out of my way!" the Colonel yelled.

"Gerald!" Lady Eddison cried.

"Saints preserve us!" Golightly said.

"Oh, how awful . . . " said Rubina.

"Someone should call the police," Agatha suggested.

"You don't have to," the Doctor said as he pulled out his psychic paper. "Chief Inspector Smith from Scotland Yard. Known as the Doctor. Miss Noble is the plucky young girl who helps me out. Shawn's is training with me. There's evidence here that we need to investigate. In the meantime, please go into the sitting room. I will question each of you individually."

Everyone followed the Doctor's orders and the Doctor began looking around.

"Doctor," Donna said. "Professor Peach, in the library, with a lead pipe?"

"Yeah."

"Doctor," Shawn said. "Why are you handling this? Why don't you want the police to come?"

"The last thing we want is PC Plod sticking his nose in, especially with this morphic residue."

"What's that?" Donna asked.

"It's left behind when certain species genetically re-encode."

"An alien?" Donna asked.

"One of that lot is an alien in human form."

The Doctor left, followed by Donna and Shawn.

"But Doctor," Donna said. "There's a murder, mystery, and Agatha Christie. Next thing you know, you'll be telling me it's like Murder on the Orient Express and they all did it!"

"Murder on the Orient Express?" Agatha asked, suddenly appearing.

"Oh, yeah. One of your best!" Donna said.

"But not yet." the Doctor added.

"Marvelous idea, though," Agatha said.

"Yeah. Tell you what, copyright Donna Noble, okay?"

"Anyway!" the Doctor said. "Agatha and I will question the suspects, Donna, you and Shawn search the bedrooms. Look for clues." He leaned towards Shawn. "And more residue," he whispered. "You'll need this!" The Doctor held out a magnifying glass.

"Is that for real?" Donna asked.

"Go on. You're ever so plucky!"

"I'll pluck you!"

Shawn put a hand on Donna's shoulder, leading her up the stairs.

"So is it always like this?" Shawn asked. "Death and drama?"

"I know you're still upset about your friend dying, but the Doctor's not like that."

"You've been traveling with him for a while?"

"Yeah. He travels with friends a lot. Now he has two."

"He's not my friend," Shawn said.

"He's a bit strange, but the Doctor's a good man."

"So what did you do before you started traveling?" Shawn asked, wanting to change the subject.

"I was a temp."

"In England?"

"In London. Chiswick."

Donna and Shawn came across a door that was locked. Greeves suddenly appeared, scaring them both.

"You won't find anything in there."

"How come it's locked?" Donna asked.

"Lady Eddison commands it to be."

"We need to search every room," Shawn said. "Can you let us in?"

"Scotland Yard," Donna said.

Greeves unlocked the door.

"So why is it locked in the first place?" Donna asked.

"Many years ago, when my father was butler to the family, Lady Eddison returned from India with malaria. She locked herself in this room for six months until she recovered. Since then, the room has remained undisturbed."

"How long ago was that?" Shawn asked.

"Forty years."

"Why would she seal it off? All right, I need to investigate, you just . . . butle off," Donna said.

Shawn and Donna looked around. They started to hear a buzz.

"Not completely undisturbed, then," Shawn commented.

"They've still go bees in 1926."

"Yeah, what's up with that?"

"What noise! All right, busy bee. I'll let you out. I shall find you first with my amazing powers of detection."

Donna walked to the window and pulled the red curtain aside. She saw a giant wasp, which looked at her. Donna screamed as the wasp burst in through the window. Shawn stood across the room to keep his distance and split the wasp's attention.

"That's impossible!" Donna cried.

"Doctor!" Shawn yelled. He saw a small vase on a table and threw it at the wasp and then headed for the door.

The wasp turned, allowing Donna to move towards the window. She remembered what she had in her hand and used it to channel the sunlight onto the wasp, causing it pain.

"Shawn, get out!" Donna said as she noticed the wasp was distracted. She ran and followed Shawn out.

Shawn quickly closed the door but was surprised by the stinger popping through. Donna screamed and the Doctor and Agatha arrived.

"It's a giant wasp!" Donna said.

"It's bigger than both of us!" Shawn added.

"Look at its sting!" Donna cried.

The Doctor and Agatha were surprised by the size and the Doctor entered the room.

"It's gone," the Doctor realized. He walked around the room looking for another trace of it.

"But that's fascinating," Agatha said as she took a close look at the stinger.

"Don't touch it. Don't touch it," the Doctor told Agatha. He collected some of the residue into a test tube. "Giant wasp . . . Well, tons of amorphous insectivorous life forms, but none in this galactic vector."

"I think I understood some of those words. Enough to know that you're completely potty."

"Look at the evidence," Shawn said. "You can't argue against something big being here."

"But there has to be an explanation," replied Agatha.

"There will be. Let's find out what it wants," the Doctor suggested.

The Doctor left, followed by Agatha, Donna, and Shawn. As they proceeded down a staircase, they heard a scream and a thud. They ran outside and saw Miss Chandrakala hurt from a gargoyle on top of her.

Shawn pushed the gargoyle off and put his hands on Miss Chandrakala's face.

"Look for an explanation here, Agatha," the Doctor said.

Shawn slowly revived Miss Chandrakala. "That was much easier," Shawn said.

"What did you do to me?" Miss Chandrakala asked.

"I healed you, didn't I?"

"Yes. Who are you?"

"Never mind that!" Donna said suddenly. "Duck!"

The Doctor looked up and saw the wasp charging at Shawn.

"It's after you!" the Doctor told Shawn.

Shawn quickly dodged as the wasp neared him, causing the wasp to release its stinger into the ground. Donna grabbed a small piece of the gargoyle that broke off and threw it at the wasp. The wasp turned and was immediately blinded by the magnifying glass that Donna was using. It flew off.

"After it!" the Doctor cried.

The Doctor, Donna, Shawn, and Agatha charged back into the house.

"Hey, this makes a change. There's a monster, and we're chasing it."

"It can't be real, can it?" Agatha asked. She gasped as she saw the wasp enter the hallway. It flew off in quick retreat.

"Don't let it get away! Quick! Before it reverts back to human form."

The Doctor, Donna, Shawn, and Agatha ran into an empty corridor.

"Where are you? Come on! There's nowhere to run. Show yourself!" the Doctor demanded.

The doors in view opened. The guests, the Curbishley family, and Davenport poked their heads out.

"Oh, that's just cheating," the Doctor remarked.

The Colonel, Roger, Davenport, and the guests waited in the drawing room. Lady Eddison then entered, looking uncomfortable.

"Miss Chandrakala is resting," Lady Eddison informed everyone. "She'll be fine." Lady Eddison glanced quickly at Golightly before looking away awkwardly.

"An attempted murder on top of a successful one," the Colonel pointed out. "What will we do?"

"Mrs. Christie, you must have twigged something," Lady Eddison said. "You've written simply the best detective stories."

"What would Poirot do?" Golightly asked.

"Heavens sake! Cards on the table, woman, you should be helping us," the Colonel added.

"But, I'm merely a writer."

"But surely you can crack it, these events," Robina suggested. "They're exactly like one of your plots."

"That's what I've been saying! Agatha, that's gotta mean something," Donna said.

"But, what? I've no answers. None. I'm sorry, all of you. I'm truly sorry, but I've failed. If anyone can help us then it's the Doctor, not me."

The Doctor and Shawn rummaged around the library.

"Maids know everything," the Doctor told Shawn. "Miss Chandrakala must have been on her way to divulge something she knew."

"Something about Reverend Golightly?"

"You saw how Miss Eddison looked at him?"

"No. Something is going on with him. The way he was talking earlier, it reminded me of the way Jordan talks sometimes. And you."

The Doctor tried to not look affronted.

"Will you confront him?" Shawn asked.

"I think that would be appropriate, but indirectly. I want to give him a chance."

"To do what?"

"Come clean. If he's the wasp, he's got some explaining to do. If he's just somehow responsible, he needs to help us get rid of it."

"And if he doesn't take that one chance?" Shawn asked.

The Doctor sighed. "I don't know yet. I want to find out what he's after."

Shawn didn't try to not look annoyed. "What do you think will happen if you just announce that you know he's the wasp or responsible for it? He's just going to confess everything and leave? And what justice do that professor and Miss Chandrakala get?"

The door opened. It was Donna and Agatha. Agatha entered, gawking at the Doctor and Shawn alternately.

"Why are you looking at me like that? And the Doctor?" Shawn asked Agatha.

"I told her about the two of you," Donna explained. "We walked around the estate while she processed everything."

"You're an alien," Agatha commented.

"Yup."

Greeves entered the room.

"I ran into Greeves and asked for some drinks," Donna explained.

"Very good, Greeves," the Doctor said as he took his glass and started to drink it. Greeves left immediately.

"You were kidnapped into the future and given healing powers."

"Yeah," Shawn responded.

"You're from another planet."

"I'm not the only one. I identified the wasp. It's a Vespiform. They've got hives in the Silfrax Galaxy. But for some reason, this one's behaving like a character in one of your books."

"Any ideas on who it is?" Donna asked.

The Doctor didn't answer.

"Doctor?" Donna said.

"Something's wrong. Something's inhibiting my enzymes." The Doctor jolted in agony. "I've been poisoned!"

Shawn ran to the Doctor and put his hands on the Doctor's face while Agatha sniffed the Doctor's glass.

"Your power won't work on me!"

"Bitter almonds," Agatha concluded. "It's cyanide!"

The Doctor was nearly out of the room by then. Donna, Shawn, and Agatha followed the Doctor to the kitchen. He was asking for ginger beer and proceeded to find it on his own. He drank some and poured some more onto himself.

"The gentleman's gone mad!" Mrs. Hart remarked.

"I'm an expert in poisons, Doctor," Agatha said. "There's not cure! It's fatal!"

"Not for me!" the Doctor said, spitting out the drink. "I can stimulate the inhibited enzymes into reversal. Protein! I need protein!"

Donna and Agatha searched the kitchen while Shawn stood in bewilderment.

"Walnuts?" Donna offered.

"Brilliant!" the Doctor replied. He poured a lot into his mouth and began gesturing with his hands.

"I can't understand you!" Donna said. "How many words?"

The Doctor lifted a finger.

"One! One word! Shake, milk shake. Milk? Milk? No, not milk? Shake, shake, shake. Cocktail shaker! Harvey Wallbanger?"

"Harvey Wallbanger?" the Doctor finally lets out.

"Well, I don't know!" Donna replied.

"How is that one word?"

"What do you want, Doctor?" Shawn asked.

"Salt! I need something salty!"

Donna offered a bag of salt.

"Too salty!"

"Too salty?"

Agatha handed the Doctor a jar of anchovies and the Doctor poured it into his mouth. He continued to gesture again.

"What is it? What else? It's a song? Mammy? Um, I don't know, Camptown Races? Towering Inferno?"

"Towering Inferno? I need a shock. A shock!"

Suddenly, Shawn advanced and punched the Doctor in the stomach, making the Doctor gasp. White smoke emerged from the Doctor's mouth.

"Detox!" the Doctor explained.

"Nice going, Shawn," Donna said. "I was going to kiss him."

"That would have been preferable," the Doctor said.

"Not for me," Donna replied.

Later, everyone was seated in the dining room for dinner.

"A murder and an attempt at a second. Yet, we still take dinner," the Doctor said.

"We are British, Doctor," Lady Eddison commented.

"You carry on," Shawn added.

"Correct."

"Someone tried to poison me," the Doctor pointed out. "That gave me an idea."

"And what would that be?" Golightly asked.

"Poisoning you right back!"

Gasps were audible at the table.

"I put in your soup pepper, which happens to contain piperine, an insecticide. Got the shivers, reverend?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Golightly responded, though a bit nervously.

"Tell me, reverend, what were you doing last Thursday night? You already told us, so just remind us a bit."

"I . . . I . . . "

"And Lady Eddison, what were you doing last Thursday night?"

"Doctor, what is going on?" Lady Eddison asked.

"You said how much you like Mrs. Christie's works. Perhaps you were reading last Thursday night."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"The reverend said he apprehended the thieves. How did a reverend handle two thieves? Perhaps you got angry, reverend. A proper, deep anger, for the first time in your life, and it broke a genetic lock! You changed into another form. Your father's form, am I right, Lady Eddison?"

Lady Eddison gasped. "How did you know?"

"There's more, Lady Eddison. Your necklace is actually a Vespiform telepathic recorder. It's a part of the reverend, his brain, his essence. When his wasp form activated, so did the firestone. It beamed his full identity into his mind. It also beamed your knowledge of Agatha Christie. Imagine that, the mechanics of those novels forming a template in a changing brain." The Doctor looked at Golightly. "You killed in a specific pattern because that's what you think the world is. You put us in an Agatha Christie murder mystery."

"That's enough," Golightly said. "Lady Edizzz . . . "

"Lady who? Little bit of buzzing there?"

"Don't anger me!"

"Why? What happens then?"

"Doctor, stop!" Shawn interjected.

"Wretched humanzzz! The universe exploded in my mind that night and I must take what wazzz mine! And you, Agatha Christie, with your railway station bookstall romancezzz . . . What'zzz to stop me killing you?" Golightly turned into the Vespiform and flew towards Agatha. Suddenly, the lights went out with a bolt of lightning. Agatha found herself on the floor, tackled by Shawn.

The Vespiform flew around, trying to find his next victim. Agatha heard Lady Eddison scream as the latter fell.

The lights suddenly came on and Agatha saw that Lady Eddison's necklace was on the floor and reached for it.

The Vespiform took notice of his half-brother and flew towards him.

"Stop!" Agatha commanded. "If my imagination made you kill, then my imagination will find a way to stop you, foul creature!" Agatha then ran out with the Doctor, Donna, Shawn, and the Vespiform following.

"It's chasing us now!" Donna realized.

They all made it outside and noticed that Agatha had gotten into a car. "Come and get me, reverend!" Agatha cried before taking off, followed by the Vespiform.

The Doctor, Donna, and Shawn followed in another car.

"Is this what you planned, Doctor?" Shawn asked.

The Doctor declined to answer.

"You said this is the night Agatha Christie loses her memory," Donna recalled.

"Time is in flux, Donna! For all we know, this is the night Agatha Christie loses her life and history gets changed. What's she doing?"

They all ended up by a lake. Agatha was standing by the water, holding up the firestone.

"Here I am!" Agatha cried. "The honey in the cup. Come to me."

"She's controlling it!" Donna observed.

"The Vespiform's mind is based on Agatha's thought processes. They're linked."

"Quite so, Doctor," Agatha said as the Doctor, Donna, and Shawn joined her. "If I die, then this creature might perish with me."

"Maybe it won't come to that," the Doctor suggested. He looked at the Vespiform. "You're not meant to be like this. You've got the wrong template in your mind. You have to stop!"

The Vespiform began to advance again.

"It's not listening," Donna said. She took the firestone and threw it into the lake. The Vespiform chased it into the lake and remained. "How do you kill a wasp? Drown it."

"Death comes as the end and justice is served," Agatha remarked before suddenly collapsing.

"It's the firestone," the Doctor said. "It's part of the Vespiform's mind. It's dying and it's connected to her!"

Agatha then fell unconscious.

"He let her go," the Doctor noticed. "Right at the end, it chose to save someone's life."

"Will she be all right, Doctor?" Shawn asked. "Do I need to do anything?"

"I think she'll be fine, but her memory will have been impacted. This is the cause of her amnesia. Shawn, help me lift her up. We'll drive her back to the TARDIS."

Once the Doctor, Donna, Shawn, and Agatha were in the TARDIS, the Doctor took everyone ten days into the future. The Doctor and Shawn carried Agatha to the front of the hotel and the Doctor shook her awake. Before Agatha was fully awake, the Doctor and Shawn left and went back to the TARDIS. Donna was standing outside, watching and she hesitantly went back in and closed the doors.

"I shouldn't heal her, should I?" Shawn said.

"We should let history run the way it did."

"What happens to her, Doctor?" Donna asked.

"Oh, great life! Married again. Saw the world. Wrote and wrote and wrote."

"She never thought her books were good. She must have spent all that time wondering."

"I don't think she ever quite forgot, Donna. Great mind like that, some of the details kept bleeding through, all the stuff her imagination could use, like Murder on the Orient Express!"

"I should have made her sign a contract for that."

"And, where is it, where is it? Hold on . . ." The Doctor lifted up a piece of the floor and took out a chest. "Here we go, C . . ." he said as he looked through the contents. "That is C for Cybermen, C for Carrionites, and . . . Christie, Agatha!"

The Doctor showed Donna and Shawn a novel by Agatha with wasp on the cover.

"She remembered?" Shawn asked.

"It all lingered somewhere in the back of her head. And . . . look at the copyright page."

"This was published in the year five billion!" Donna exclaimed.

"People never stop reading her novels. She's the best selling novelist of all time."

"But she never knew," Donna commented.

"Well, no one knows how they're gonna be remembered. All we can do is hope for the best. Maybe that's what kept her writing. Same thing keeps me travelling."

Donna looked at Shawn. "I think the same thing keeps you going too, right? You saved someone's life today."

"Probably more," the Doctor added. "If we didn't come here, the Vespiform could have killed others. You saw how it went after Roger Curbishley at dinner."

"Roger Curbishley?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah. That's his name."

"I thought it was Eddison. Everyone called his mother Lady Eddison."

"The Eddison title descends through her. She kept the name socially. What is it?"

"Andrea told me once that her great grandfather Roger left his wife for a man. You don't suppose . . ."

"We could find out," the Doctor offered.

Shawn shook his head. "No, we should leave that alone. But if you want to tell me about the future with the 4400 . . ."

"Don't count on it. Let's go, off to our next adventure!"


	3. Silence in the Library

Chapter 3: Silence in the Library

Shawn was rummaging through swimsuits, grateful that the Doctor made a stop on a planet to let him buy underwear. Suddenly, the Doctor interrupted him.

"Change in plans, Shawn. Let's go somewhere else." The Doctor suddenly popped away again, prompting Shawn to follow the Doctor to the TARDIS console. By the time Shawn arrived, the TARDIS was already moving and Donna was there.

"Where do you want to go instead, Doctor?" Shawn asked.

"A different planet," the Doctor answered. "We're in the neighborhood, so we should visit."

"And what do you want to see on this different planet, Doctor?" asked Donna.

"Books!" the Doctor exclaimed as he hit a lever. He then ran towards the doors and grabbed his coat on the way. "People never really stop loving books."

The Doctor continued as he walked through a reception area towards a balcony. "51st century. By now you've got holovids, direct to brain downloads, fiction mist, but you need the smell. And this, is the biggest library in the universe. It holds every book ever written."

"It's like a city!" Donna remarked.

"It's a world. Literally a world. The whole core of the planet is the index computer, biggest hard drive ever."

"The entire planet is a library?" Shawn asked.

"Yes. It's simply called the Library. It's so big, it doesn't need another name."

"And where is everyone?" Shawn asked. "And what kind of library lets people just leave books around the place?"

"We're near the equator so this must be . . . biographies!" the Doctor said, eliciting a look of shock from Donna and an eye roll from Shawn. "I love biographies."

"Yeah, very you. Always a death at the end," Donna replied.

The Doctor glanced at Shawn.

"This part of the Library is generally a bit busy," the Doctor said as he went to a computer.

"Maybe it's a Sunday," Donna offered.

"No, I never land on Sundays. Sundays are boring."

"Well, maybe everyone's really, really quiet," Donna said.

The Doctor continued navigating through the computer with help from his sonic screwdriver. "They'd still show up on the system."

"That keeps track of everyone in the Library?" Shawn asked.

"Yes. If I do a scan looking for your basic humanoids - you know, your book readers, few limbs and a face, I get only the three of us. However, if I widen the parameters to all kinds of life . . ."

The Doctor, Donna, and Shawn saw that the computer was registering over 1,000,000,000,000 life forms on the planet.

"A million million. Gives up after that."

"But there's no one here," Donna said.

"What about microbes?" Shawn asked. "Bacteria, mold, mildew?"

"Yeah, that's probably it," the Doctor replied. "Let's take a look at some other areas."

While walking back to the reception area, the three heard a node welcome them so they approached it.

"I am Courtesy Node 710/aqua. Please enjoy the Library and respect the personal access codes of all your fellow readers regardless of species or hygiene taboo," it said.

"That face, it looks real," Donna said.

"Yeah, don't worry about it," the Doctor responded.

"It's kind of creepy," Shawn said.

"It is!"

"Yeah, don't worry about it," the Doctor repeated.

The node continued speaking. "Additional. There follows a brief message from the head librarian for your urgent attention. It has been edited for tone and content by Felman Lux Automated Decency Filter. Message follows. "Run. For God's sake, run. No way is safe. The Library has sealed itself, we can't . . . Oh, they're here. Arg. Slarg. Snick." Message ends. Please switch off your mobile comm. units for the comfort of other readers."

"Any other messages, same date stamp?" the Doctor asked.

"One additional message. This message carries a Felman Lux coherency warning of 5, 0, 11..."

"Play it, please."

"Message follows. "'Count the shadows. For God's sake, remember . . . if you want to live, count the shadows.' Message ends."

The Doctor looked at Donna and Shawn. "Stay out of the shadows," he said before walking away.

Donna and Shawn looked at each other before catching up with the Doctor.

"Did you know something was wrong with this place, Doctor?" Shawn asked. "Is that why you changed your mind and wanted to come here?"

"Well . . . "

"Don't lie to me, Doctor."

The Doctor pulled out his psychic paper. "I got a message asking me to come here. I think it's a cry for help."

"There's a kiss," Donna said.

"We've all done that before."

"Who's it from?" Donna asked.

"I don't know."

"Then why are we here?" Shawn asked. "If you don't know . . ."

The three suddenly noticed that lights were going out. The darkness was reaching for them.

"Run!" the Doctor cried.

The three ran down to a door, but the Doctor had difficulty opening it.

"What, is it locked?" Donna asked.

"Jammed! The wood's warped!"

"Sonic it, use the thingy!"

"I can't, it's wood!"

"What, it doesn't do wood?"

"Hang on, hang on. If I can vibrate the molecules, fry the bindings, I can shatterline the interface . . ."

"Oh, get out of the way!" Donna said. She kicked the doors open and the three walked through.

Donna and Shawn pushed the door closed and continued to exert force until the Doctor came with a book to place beneath the handles. It was only until then that the three noticed a sphere hovering in front of them. The Doctor approached it with Donna, but Shawn stayed back.

"Oh! Hello. I'm sorry to burst in on you like this," the Doctor said. "Okay if we stop here for a bit?"

The ball suddenly dropped on the ground without bouncing.

"What is it?" Donna and Shawn asked in unison.

"It's a security camera," the Doctor answered. "It's off, now." He picked up the camera and started scanning it with his sonic screwdriver. "Nice job with the door, Donna."

"Well, boyfriends. Sometimes, you need the element of surprise."

Shawn laughed , drawing the Doctor's and Donna's attention. This was the first time they ever saw him smile, much less laugh.

"It looks like you've had a lot of practice."

"Well . . ."

The Doctor saw a message on the camera begging him to stop.

"Oh, I'm sorry . . . you're alive," the Doctor realized.

"A living security camera?" Shawn said. "That's not going to be the weirdest thing I'll see, is it?"

"Probably not," Donna answered for the Doctor. "Remind me to tell you about . . . everything."

"Others are coming," the Doctor said, reading the security camera.

"Doctor, are we safe here?" Shawn asked.

"Of course. There's a shop."

"So what does it mean by 'Others are coming?'" Donna asked.

"I'm not sure," the Doctor answered.

"Will asking that thing help?" Donna asked, pointing at a different node.

"No."

Donna began to pace around while Shawn just watched.

"Donna, stop!" the Doctor suddenly cried.

"What is it?" Donna asked, slightly alarmed.

"The shadow," the Doctor answered, pointing down. "Shawn, don't go anywhere near it."

"What about it?" Donna asked.

"The node told us to count the shadows."

"I'm counting now. There's one," Donna said.

Shawn looked up and around.

"What's casting it?" the Doctor asked. He looked around.

"Oh! I'm thick!" the Doctor suddenly said loudly, scaring Donna and Shawn. "Look at me, I'm old and thick! Head's too full of stuff, I need a bigger head!" The Doctor went to a dark corridor, with Donna and Shawn behind him.

"It's really dark," Shawn noticed.

"Is something wrong with the power?" Donna said.

"This planet runs on fission cells that will last longer than the sun."

"Doctor, Donna, the shadow is gone."

The Doctor and Donna turned to where Shawn was pointing.

"It isn't gone, it's moved," the Doctor said. "This place isn't safe. We need to get back to the TARDIS, now."

A node began talking. "Reminder: the Library has been breached, others are coming. Reminder: the Library has been breached, others are coming . Reminder: the Library has been breached . . ."

"That's another face!" Shawn said.

Shawn and Donna were about to approach it. However, a flash of light and an opening door surprised them as did a group of people in spacesuits. The Doctor put his right hand on one of Shawn's shoulders as the group advanced.

The person in front then illuminated the interior of her helmet and smiled. "Hello, sweetie!"

The Doctor removed his hand from Shawn. "Get out," he coldly said to the woman. "All of you, turn around, get back in your rocket and fly away! Tell your grandchildren you came to the Library and lived. They won't believe you," the Doctor continued.

"Pop your helmets, everyone. We've got breathers," the woman said, not caring at all about the Doctor's concerns.

"How do you know they're not androids?" someone asked.

"Cos I've dated androids. They're rubbish."

"Who is this?" a third person, a man, asked. "You said we were the only expedition, I paid for exclusives."

"I lied, I'm always lying. Bound to be others."

"Miss Evangelista, I want to see the contracts," the man demanded.

The first woman turned to the Doctor. "You came through the north door, yeah? How was that, much damage?"

"Please, just leave. I'm asking you seriously and properly, just le . . . Hang on. Did you say expedition?"

"My expedition, I funded it," the man replied.

"Oh, you're not, are you? Tell me you're not archaeologists."

"Got a problem with archaeologists?" the woman asked.

"I'm a time traveler. I point and laugh at archaeologists."

"Ah. Professor River Song, archaeologist."

"River Song, lovely name. As you're leaving, and you're leaving now . . . you need to set up a quarantine beacon. Codewall the planet, the whole planet. Nobody comes here, not ever again . . . not one living thing, not here, not ever." The Doctor noticed someone walking away and approached her. "Stop right there! What's your name?"

"Anita."

"Anita, stay out of the shadows. Not a foot, not a finger in the shadows till you're safely back in your ship. Goes for all of you. Stay in the light. Find a nice, bright spot and just stand. If you understand me, look very, very scared."

No one reacted, though River did seem a bit amused.

"No, bit more scared than that . . . Okay, do for now. You, who are you?"

"Uh, Dave."

"Okay, Dave . . ."

"Oh, well Other Dave, because that's Proper Dave, the pilot. He was the first Dave, so when we . . ."

"Other Dave, the way you came, does it look the same as before?" the Doctor asked after walking Other Dave to a door.

"Yeah. Oh, it's a bit darker."

"How much darker?" the Doctor asked

"Oh, like I could see where we came through just like a moment ago. I can't now."

"Seal up this door. We'll find another way out," the Doctor ordered before rejoining the rest of the group.

"We're not looking for a way out. Miss Evangelista?"

Miss Evangelista handed the Doctor, Donna, and Shawn a sheet of paper.

"I'm Mr. Lux's persona l . . . everything . You need to sign these contracts agreeing that your individual experiences inside the Library are the intellectual property of the Felman Lux Corporation."

"Right, give it here," the Doctor replied.

"Yeah, lovely. Thanks," Donna said.

Shawn also expressed thanks and was then surprised when the Doctor and Donna tore the contract apart. Shawn folded his up and put it in his pocket.

"My family built this Library. I have rights," Mr. Lux said.

"You have a mouth that won't stop," River replied. She looked at the Doctor. "You think there's danger here?"

"Something came to this Library and killed everything in it, killed a whole world. Danger? Could be."

"That was 100 years ago. The Library's been silent for 100 years. Whatever came here is long dead."

"Bet your life?"

"Always," River replied, smiling.

The Doctor approached Mr. Lux and Other Dave.

"What are you doing?" Mr. Lux asked.

"He's following my instructions to save his life," the Doctor answered. "It's spooky, isn't it? Give me your torch." The Doctor then walked to another part of the room and shone the flashlight at a specific area. "Almost every species in the universe has an irrational fear of the dark. But they're wrong, cos it's not irrational. It's Vashta Nerada."

" Vashta Nerada?" Shawn asked.

"It's what's in the dark. It's what's always in the dark. That computer wasn't picking up microbes. It was picking up Vashta Nerada."

"Millions of millions of them?" Donna asked.

The Doctor then walked to River's group. "Lights! That's what we need, lights! You got lights?"

"What for?" River asked.

"Form a circle, safe area, big as you can. Lights pointing out."

"Oy! Do as he says," River said.

"You're not listening to this man?" Mr. Lux asked.

"Apparently, I am. Anita, unpack the lights. Other Dave, make sure the door's secure, then help Anita. Mr. Lux, put your helmet back on, block the visor. Proper Dave, find an active terminal. I want you to access the Library database, see what you can find about what happened here a hundred years ago. Skinny Pretty Boy, you're with me. Step into my office."

Donna looked around, wondering if she could do anything. Shawn looked at himself and the Doctor, comparing the two.

"Professor Song, why am I the only one wearing my helmet?" asked Mr. Lux.

"I don't fancy you."

The Doctor walked to Proper Dave. "I can help you."

"Skinny Pretty Boy, with me, I said."

Donna and Shawn looked at the Doctor.

"Oh, I'm Skinny Pretty Boy?" the Doctor said.

"Yes. Ooh, that came out a bit quick!" Donna replied.

"Pretty?"

"Meh."

The Doctor walked to River. "Don't let your shadows cross! Seriously, don't even let them touch. Any of them could be infected."

"How can a shadow be infected?" Other Dave asked.

"So, I'm not skinny?" Shawn asked Donna.

"You are, but the Doctor's like paper. You're a bit more built."

"I am?"

"Just a bit," Donna replied, smiling with Shawn. "How old are you, exactly?"

"I told you we should have put another sign on the bathroom door," Anita told Other Dave. The two laughed.

"Is there anything we could help with?" Donna asked the pair.

"We're just standing around," Shawn added.

"I think we're covered, but thank you," Anita said.

Shawn shrugged and walked around, careful to avoid shadows. He soon approached the Doctor and River.

"You've seen me before, then?" the Doctor asked River.

"Doctor . . . please tell me you know who I am?" River said.

"Who are you?" asked the Doctor.

River looked sad as she stared at the Doctor.

A strange noise interrupted everyone.

"Sorry, that was me," Proper Dave claimed. "Trying to get through into the security protocols. I seem to have set something off. What is that? Is that an alarm?"

Donna and Shawn looked at each other.

"It sounds like . . ." Donna began.

"A telephone," Shawn said.

Proper Dave started fiddling with the keyboard. "I'm trying to call up the data core, but it's not responding. Just that noise."

Donna looked at the Doctor.

"Let me try something," the Doctor said as he approached the terminal and started typing.

"ACCESS DENIED" flashed on the screen.

"Okay," the Doctor said, "doesn't like that. Let's try something else."

A little girl suddenly appeared on the screen. She looked like she was in a living room.

"Okay, here it comes," the Doctor said. "Hello."

"Hello. Are you in my television?" the girl asked.

"Well, no, we're, we're . . . sort of in space. I, I was trying to call up the data core of a triple-grid security processor."

"Would you like to speak to my dad?"

"Dad or your mum, that'd be lovely."

"I know you! You were in my Library."

"Your Library?"

"The Library's never been on the television before. What have you done?"

"Ah, I . . . I just rerouted the interface . . ."

The connection broke and the Doctor failed to bring it back up.

"What happened, who was that?" River asked.

"I need another terminal," the Doctor said after running to another terminal. " Keep working on those lights; we need those lights!"

"You heard him, people. Let there be light," River said.

People continued working on various systems while Donna, Shawn and Miss Evangelista stood around.

"At least we're not the only ones doing nothing," Shawn commented to Donna while looking at Miss Evangelista. "They don't seem to care about her."

Books suddenly started to fly around the area.

"What's that?" the Doctor asked. "I didn't do that. Did you do that?"

"Not me," Proper Dave answered.

The Doctor continued fiddling on a terminal. "What's CAL?"

The books finally stopped flying.

Donna approached Miss Evangelista, asking if she's all right.

"What's that? What's happening?" Miss Evangelista asked.

"I don't know," Mr. Lux answered.

Shawn approached the Doctor and watched. Soon, books start to fly again.

"What's causing that? Is it the little girl?" River asked.

"But who is the little girl? What's she got to do with this place?" the Doctor asked. "How does the data core work? What's the principle? What's CAL?"

"Ask Mr Lux," River instructed.

"CAL, what is it?"

"Sorry," Mr. Lux answered. "You didn't sign your personal experience contracts."

"Mr. Lux, right now, you're in more danger than you've ever been in your whole life. And you're protecting a patent?"

"I'm protecting my family's pride."

"Well, funny thing, Mr. Lux, I don't want to see everyone in this room dead because some idiot thinks his pride is more important."

"Then why don't you sign his contract?" River suggested. "I didn't either. I'm getting worse than you."

"Okay, okay, okay. Let's start at the beginning. What happened here? On the actual day, a hundred years ago, what physically happened?"

"There was a message from the Library," River answered. "Just one. 'The lights are going out.' Then the computer sealed the planet, and there was nothing for a hundred years."

"It's taken three generations of my family just to decode the seals and get back in."

"Umm . . . excuse me . . . " Miss Evangelista said.

"Not just now," Mr. Lux responded.

"There was one other thing in the last message . . ." River said.

"That's confidential," Mr. Lux warned.

"I trust this man. With my life, with everything."

"You've only just met him!"

"No, he's only just met me."

"Umm, this might be important actually . . ." Miss Evangelista said.

"In a moment!" Mr. Lux answered.

"This is a data extract that came with the message," River said, showing the Doctor a PDA.

"4,022 saved. No survivors," the Doctor read.

"What does that mean?" Shawn asked.

"There were 4,022 people in the Library when the planet was sealed."

"But saved and not surviving?" Shawn asked.

"We'll find out what that means," the Doctor said.

Mr. Lux exhaled. "We haven't found any bodies. We need to find out what happened to them, too."

"Even after a hundred years, there should be evidence of people," the Doctor said.

Shawn approached Donna. "Where's Miss Evangelista?"

The two looked around and saw an open door.

"Through there?" Donna suggested. She and Shawn went through the door, slowly going down a hallway into another room.

"There you are," Donna said.

Miss Evangelista turned around, slightly surprised.

"We were worried . . ."

A piercing scream interrupted Donna. She and Shawn watched as Miss Evangelista was quickly reduced to a skeleton. The others soon appeared behind them.

"Everybody, careful! Stay in the light," the Doctor commanded.

"Doctor! She just turned into a skeleton!" Donna cried.

Shawn could barely move. He stared at the corpse, mouth open.

"That's her?" the Doctor asked. "Miss Evangelista?"

"It was horrible!" Donna said.

"What could do that in a few seconds?"

"The Vashta Nerada."

"Hello?" someone said.

"Umm, I'm sorry everyone. This isn't going to be pleasant. She's ghosting."

"Hello, excuse me? I . . . I'm sorry. Hello? Excuse me?"

"That's her!" Shawn finally said.

"This is her last moment," River said.

"Sorry, where am I? Excuse me?"

Other Dave spoke up. "This is going to sound cold, but could we just . . ."

"No, we're going to show her some respect," River said.

"That's Miss Evangelista!" Donna said.

"It's a data ghost. She'll be gone in a moment," River explained.

"What's a data ghost?" Shawn asked.

"There's a neural relay in the communicator, lets you send thought mails. That's it there, those green lights. Sometimes it can hold an impression of a living consciousness for a short time after death," the Doctor explained.

"It's like an afterimage," River added. "Miss Evangelista, you're fine, just relax. We'll be with you presently."

Shawn put his right arm around Donna's shoulders.

"My grandfather lasted a day," Anita commented.

"I can't see, I can't . . . Where am I?"

"She's just brain waves now. The pattern won't hold for long," Proper Dave said.

"She's conscious! She's thinking." Donna exclaimed.

"I can't see, I can't . . . I don't know what I'm thinking."

"She's a footprint on the beach. The tide's coming in," the Doctor said.

"Where's that woman? The nice woman . . . Is she there?"

Shawn looked at Donna. "I think she means you."

"Is she there? The nice woman?"

"Yeah, she's here, hang on," River said. She looked at Donna. "Go ahead. She can hear you."

"Hello? Are you there?"

Donna shook her head.

"Help her," the Doctor quietly said.

"She's dead."

"Yeah. Help her."

"Come on," Shawn said, leading Donna to Miss Evangelista.

"Hello? Is that the nice woman?"

"Yeah. Hello. Yeah, I'm, I'm . . . I'm here. You okay?"

"What I said before, about being stupid. Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh."

"Course I won't. Course I won't tell them."

"Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh . . ."

"I won't tell them. I said I won't."

"Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh."

Shawn looked at the Doctor.

"I'm not going to tell them."

"Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh."

"She's looping now," River explained. "The pattern's degrading."

"Is she still there, then?" Shawn asked.

"I can't think, I . . . don't know, I . . . I . . . I . . . Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream . . ."

"Does anybody mind if I . . ." River said. She then turned off the relay.

"That was horrible," Donna said. "That was the most horrible thing I've ever seen."

Shawn hugged Donna.

"Whatever did this to her, I'd like a word with that," River said.

"I'll introduce you," the Doctor responded. He set off back to the previous room and everyone followed.

"I'm going to need a packed lunch," the Doctor said.

"Hang on," River replied.

River rummaged through her bag with the Doctor crouched next to her.

"What's in that book?" the Doctor asked.

"Spoilers."

"Who are you?"

"Professor River Song, University of . . ."

"To me. Who are you to me?"

"Again . . . spoilers. Chicken, and a bit of salad. Knock yourself out."

The Doctor stood up with the food. "Right, you lot. Let's all meet the Vashta Nerada!" He ran to a section of the room and crouched down. He held a flashlight in his left hand and scanned the area with his sonic screwdriver.

Shawn approached River and Donna joined them.

"You know him in his future, don't you?" Shawn asked River.

"Yes."

"You're from his future. You're meeting out of order."

"Time travel."

Shawn nodded. "I'm Shawn Farrell. Do you know me? Personally know me, I mean."

"No, I've heard of you before, but I've never met you."

Shawn nodded. "Good."

"Yes."

"So when do you meet the Doctor?" Shawn asked.

"I shouldn't tell you that."

"You know him well?"

"Very well."

River suddenly looked at Donna. "You're Donna Noble, then. Aren't you?"

"Yeah. Why don't you personally know me? Where am I in the future?"

"I'm sorry . . ." River began.

"Okay! We've got a live one!" the Doctor exclaimed. He stood up. "That's not darkness down those tunnels, this is not a shadow. It's a swarm. A man-eating swarm." The Doctor threw a chicken leg into the shadows. Before it hit the ground, it was instantly reduced to bone. "The piranhas of the air, the Vashta Nerada. Literally 'the shadows that melt the flesh'. Most planets have them, but usually in small clusters. I've never seen an infestation on this scale, or this aggressive."

"What do you mean 'most planets?'" Donna asked. "Not Earth?"

"Mm, Earth, and a billion other worlds. Where there's meat, there's Vashta Nerada. You can see them sometimes, if you look. The dust in sunbeams."

"If they were on Earth, we'd know," Donna claimed.

"Nah, normally they live on road kill. But sometimes people go missing. Not everyone comes back out of the dark."

"Every shadow?" River asked.

"No. But any shadow."

"So what do we do?"

"Daleks - aim for the eyestalk. Sontarans - back of the neck. Vashta Nerada . . . Run. Just run."

"Run? Run where?" River asked.

"This is an index point. There must be an exit teleport somewhere." The Doctor looked at Mr. Lux.

"Don't look at me; I haven't memorized the schematics!"

"Doctor, the little shop!" Donna said. "They always make you go through the little shop on the way out so they can sell you stuff."

"You're right! Brilliant! That's why I like the little shop!"

"Okay, let's move it!" Proper Dave said.

"Actually, Proper Dave, could you stay where you are for a moment?" the Doctor requested.

"Why?"

"I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. But you've got two shadows. It's how they hunt, they latch on to a food source and keep it fresh."

"What do I do?"

"You stay absolutely still. Like there's a wasp in the room, like there's a million wasps."

"We're not leaving you, Dave," River assured him.

"Course we're not leaving. Where's your helmet? Don't point, just tell me."

"On the floor, by my bag."

Anita went to get it.

"Don't cross his shadow!" the Doctor warned. After taking the helmet, the Doctor put it on Dave. "Thanks. Now, the rest of you, helmets back on and sealed up. We'll need everything we've got."

"We haven't got any helmets," Donna commented.

"Yeah, but we're safe anyway," the Doctor replied.

"How so?" Shawn asked.

"We're not. Professor, anything I can do with the suit?"

"Miss Evangelista was wearing a suit," Donna said.

"We can increase the mesh-density, dial it up 400%. Make it a tougher meal," River said.

"900%," the Doctor indicated while adjusting Proper Dave's suit. "Pass it on."

River showed the Doctor a screwdriver of her own.

"That's a screwdriver," the Doctor realized.

"Yeah."

"It's sonic."

"Snap," River answered before adjusting everyone else's suits.

The Doctor grabbed Donna's left hand. "Shawn, come on!"

The three ran into the shop.

"What are we doing, we're shopping? Is it a good time to shop?" Donna asked.

"No talking, just moving! Try it! Right, stand there in the middle. It's a teleport. Stand in the middle. Can't send the others, TARDIS won't recognize them."

"What are you doing?" Donna asked.

"You don't have a suit, you're not safe!"

"You two don't have suits on, so you're in just as much danger as I am and I'm not leaving . . ."

"Shawn's next."

"And you?"

The Doctor pushed a lever and Donna teleported away.

"Shawn, stand in the middle. I had to make sure first that you'll be fine."

"And will I?"

"Of course. I just need to check . . ."

"What is it, Doctor?"

"Doctor!" River yelled from the other room.

"Donna didn't arrive in the TARDIS," the Doctor said.

"What happened?" Shawn asked.

"Doctor!" River cried again.

"We'll figure it out." The Doctor led Shawn back to River's group. "Where did it go?"

"It's just gone," Proper Dave answered. "I . . . I looked around, one shadow. See?"

"Does that mean we can leave?" River asked. "I don't want to hang around here."

"I don't know why we're still here. We can leave him, can't we?" Mr. Lux asked. "No offense."

"Shut up, Mr. Lux," River responded.

"Did you feel anything? L ike an energy transfer? Anything at all?" the Doctor asked.

"No, no, but, look, it's, it's gone." Proper Dave turned around.

"Stop there, stop, stop, stop there, stop moving! They're never just gone. And they never give up." The Doctor knelt down and investigated. "This one's benign."

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave asked.

"No one," the Doctor answered. "They're fine."

"No, seriously, turn them back on!"

"They are on," River said.

"I can't see a ruddy thing."

"Dave, turn round."

Dave turned around and everyone saw that the inside was completely dark.

"What happened?" Shawn asked.

"What's going on? Why can't I see? Is the power gone, are we safe here?"

"Dave, I want you stay still, absolutely still."

Dave started trembling in the suit.

"Doctor?" Shawn asked.

" Dave?" the Doctor asked. "Dave? Dave, can you hear me, are you all right? Talk to me, Dave."

"I'm fine," Proper Dave finally answered. "I'm okay. I'm . . . I'm fine."

"I want you to stay still, absolutely still."

"I'm fine, I'm okay. I'm, I'm fine. I can't . . . Why can't I? I . . . I can't . . . Why can't I? I . . . I can't . . . Why can't I? I . . ."

"He's ghosting, isn't he?" Shawn asked.

"He's gone," River confirmed.

"Why is he still standing?" Mr. Lux asked.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

The Doctor moved closer to Proper Dave.

"Is that a good idea, Doctor?" Shawn asked.

"Doctor, don't!" River said.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

Proper Dave grabbed the Doctor.

"Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

River stunned Proper Dave with her sonic screwdriver. "Excuse me!"

"Back from it, get back, right back!" the Doctor cried.

Everyone backed away while Proper Dave's corpse advanced.

"It doesn't move very fast, does it?" River commented.

"It's a swarm in a suit, but it's learning."

Shadows started creeping towards the group.

"What do we do now? Where do we go?" Mr. Lux asked.

"See that wall behind you?" River asked. "Duck!" Using her squareness gun, River created an exit.

"Squareness gun!" the Doctor commented.

"Everybody out. Go, go, go!" River commanded. "Move it, move, move! Move it, move, move!" The group advanced to a hallway. "You said not every shadow."

"But any shadow!" the Doctor answered.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

"Run!" River said and everyone obeyed.

Finally finding respite, the group relaxed and the Doctor fiddled with a light above him.

"Trying to boost the power," the Doctor explained. "Light doesn't stop them, but it slows them down."

"So, what's the plan? Do we have a plan?" River asked before intensifying the light.

"Your screwdriver . . ." the Doctor said, "looks exactly like mine."

"Yeah. You gave it to me."

"I don't give my screwdriver to anyone."

"I'm not anyone."

"Who are you?"

"Can we focus on staying alive, Doctor?" Shawn asked.

"What's the plan?" River asked.

"I need to find Donna. She was supposed to teleport into the TARDIS, but she didn't." The Doctor approached a node. "Donna Noble. There's a Donna Noble somewhere in this Library. Do you have the software to locate her position?"

The node turned around, revealing Donna.

"Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved."

"Donna!" Shawn cried, running to the node.

"Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved."

"How can it be Donna? How's that possible?" River asked.

"How did this happen?" Shawn asked. "Are all 4,022 like this?"

"Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved. Donna Noble has left the library."

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

Everyone started running except the Doctor and Shawn.

"We've got to go!" River had to grab the Doctor, who in turn grabbed Shawn away.

"No! We can't leave her like this!" Shawn cried.

Everyone continued to move and Shawn tried to block out the sound of Proper Dave's corpse. Soon, they found themselves at a dead end while Proper Dave's corpse continued to advance towards them.


	4. Forest of the Dead

Chapter 4: Forest of the Dead

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

River used her squareness gun to create another exit. "This way, quickly! Move!"

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

Everyone continued moving.

"Okay, we've got a clear spot!" River announced. "In, in, in! Right in the center, in the middle of the light, quickly! Don't let your shadows cross. Doctor . . ."

"I'm doing it," the Doctor said, with Shawn nearby. He started checking the shadows for the Vashta Nerada.

"There's no lights here," River said. "Sunset's coming, we can't stay long. Have you found a live one?"

"Maybe, it's getting harder to tell." The Doctor hit the sonic screwdriver with his hands a couple of times. "What's wrong with you?"

"We're gonna need a chicken leg," River said. "Who's got a chicken leg?"

Other Dave handed one to her.

"Thanks, Dave."

River threw the leg into the shadow and it immediately became bone.

"Oh," Shawn said.

"They won't attack until there's enough of them, but they've got our scent now, they're coming," said the Doctor.

"What about Donna?" Shawn asked the Doctor.

"Don't worry. We'll figure something out."

"Is she aware of what's happening?"

"I don't know."

"Are you lying to me about figuring something out?"

The Doctor looked at Shawn and then continued scanning.

"Doctor . . ."

The Doctor started fiddling with his screwdriver.

River approached. "What's wrong with it?"

"There's a signal coming from somewhere, interfering with it."

"Then use the red settings."

"It doesn't have a red setting."

"Well, use the dampers."

"It doesn't have dampers."

"It will one day," River responded, showing the Doctor her screwdriver.

"So some time in the future, I just give you my screwdriver?"

"Yeah."

"Why would I do that?"

"I didn't pluck it from your cold dead hands, if that's what you're worried about."

"And I know that because . . ."

"Listen to me. You've lost Donna, you're angry. I understand. But you need to be less emotional, Doctor. Right now . . ."

"I'm not emotional!"

"There are six people in this room still alive, focus on that. You're hard work young!"

"Who are you?"

"Oh, for Heaven's sake!" Mr. Lux interrupted. "Look at the pair of you! We're all gonna die right here, and you're just squabbling like an old married couple."

The Doctor and River synchronically looked at Mr. Lux, which aroused Shawn's suspicions.

River turned to the Doctor. "Doctor, one day I'm going to be someone that you trust completely, but I can't wait for you to find that out. So I'm going to prove it to you. And I'm sorry. I'm really very sorry."

River leaned into the Doctor and whispered something into his ear. "Are we good? Doctor, are we good?"

"Yeah, we're good."

"Good."

River went back to her group.

"Doctor, who do you think she is to you?" Shawn asked.

The Doctor ignored Shawn. "Know what's interesting about my screwdriver? Very hard to interfere with, practically nothing's strong enough . . . Well, some hairdryers, but I'm working on that. So there is a very strong signal coming from somewhere, and it wasn't there before, so what's new, what's changed?"

"Come on! What's new? What's different?" the Doctor said when no one answered.

"I dunno," Other Dave replied. "Nothing. It's getting dark."

"It's a screwdriver, it works in the dark." The Doctor looked up. "Moon rise. Tell me about the moon. What's there?"

"It's not real," Mr. Lux explained. "It was built as part of the Library. It's just a doctor moon."

"What's that?" the Doctor asked.

"A virus checker. It supports and maintains the main computer at the core of the planet."

The Doctor activated the screwdriver. "Well, still active. It's signaling. Look. Someone somewhere in this Library is alive and communicating with the moon, or, possibly alive and drying their hair. No, the signal's definitely coming from the moon. I'm blocking it, but it's trying to break through . . ."

Donna appeared as a blue image.

"Donna!" Shawn cried.

Donna then disappeared.

"Can you get her back?" River asked. "What was that?"

"Hold on, hold on, hold on. I'm trying to find the wavelength. Ah, I'm being blocked."

"Professor?" Anita said.

"Just a moment," River responded.

"Oh, no . . ." Shawn said, looking at Anita's shadow.

Everyone turned and saw that Anita had two shadows.

"Okay," River said. "Helmets on, everyone. Anita, I'll get yours."

"It didn't do Proper Dave any good," Anita said.

"Just keep it together, okay?" River said.

"Keeping it together, I'm only crying. I'm about to die, it's not an overreaction."

River put Anita's helmet on as the Doctor approached.

"Hang on," the Doctor said. He used his sonic screwdriver to turn the visor black.

"They're inside!" River said.

"No, I just tinted her visor so they'll think they're already there and leave her alone."

"Do you think that'll work?" River asked.

"I don't know."

"Can you still see in there?" Other Dave asked Anita.

"Just about."

The Doctor sighed and looked at Shawn and River. "River, there are seven people in this room."

The Doctor, River, and Shawn looked behind them, leading Other Dave and Mr. Lux to do the same. They all saw Proper Dave.

"Run!" the Doctor cried.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

Everyone ran.

"Professor, go ahead, find a safe spot," the Doctor said after running a while.

"It's a carnivorous swarm in a suit, you can't reason with it," River cautioned.

"Five minutes."

"Doctor, if you die, Shawn dies."

Other Dave ran by, but stopped to wait for River.

The Doctor approached Shawn. "I realize I've put you in danger before, but I need to try. I'll be fine. Now go. You won't get too far from me."

"Other Dave, stay with the Doctor," River said. "Pull him out when he's too stupid to live. Two minutes, Doctor."

River grabbed Shawn and ran off.

"I don't understand," Shawn said as they ran. "If you're from his future, why hasn't he mentioned this to you so you'd know what to do?"

"He's not going to risk spoiling this and messing up the timeline. He's never told you about what will happen with the 4400, right?"

"Yeah, it's annoying."

"It's necessary," River pointed out.

"But at least he'll live, right? If you're from his future?"

River didn't answer.

"River, I doubt I'll have anything to do with saving Donna. I'm just a human forced into all this, so can you just tell me if she'll be all right? Will we get her back?"

"Time's in flux. Whatever I know could change at any moment."

"At this moment, what do you know about Donna?"

"I'm sorry, but you don't want to risk Donna's safety in any way, do you?"

"No."

"Then just wait."

Everyone arrived in another room and River began scanning the area.

"You know, it's funny, I keep wishing my Doctor was here," River said.

"The future Doctor?" Shawn asked.

"You know when you see a photograph of someone you know, but it's from years before you knew them? It's like they're not quite . . . finished. They're not done yet. My Doctor . . . I've seen whole armies turn and run away. And he'd just swagger off back to his TARDIS and open the doors with a snap of his fingers. The Doctor . . . in the TARDIS . . . next stop, everywhere."

"Is he really that different?" Shawn asked.

"Well," the Doctor said as he suddenly made his presence known. "Nobody can open a TARDIS by snapping their fingers. It doesn't work like that."

"It does for the Doctor."

"I am the Doctor."

"Yeah, some day."

"Where's Dave?" Shawn asked.

"He's not coming."

The Doctor walked to Anita.

"How are you doing?"

"If they've taken him, why haven't they gotten me yet?"

"I don't know. Maybe tinting your visor made a difference."

"It's making a difference all right. No one's ever going to see my face again."

"Can I get you anything?" the Doctor asked.

"An old age would be nice. Anything you can do?"

"I'm working on it."

Shawn went to River. "Did he give you the sonic screwdriver recently? From your point of view?"

"Yes, the last time we met."

"At least he did that for you."

River nodded.

"I don't suppose you can tell me how long I'm stuck with him, can do?"

River smiled and shook her head.

"The data fragment!," the Doctor suddenly said. "What did it say?"

"4,022 people saved. No survivors," Mr. Lux answered.

"Doctor?" River asked.

"Nobody says saved. Nutters say saved. You say safe. But you see, it didn't mean safe. It meant . . . it literally meant . . . saved!"

The Doctor ran to an information terminal and started punching in some instructions. "See, there it is, right there! A hundred years ago, massive power surge. All the teleports going at once. Soon as the Vashta Nerada hit their hatching cycle, they attack. Someone hits the alarm, the computer tries to teleport everyone out."

"It tried to teleport 4,022 people?" River asked.

"Succeeded, pulled 'em all out. But then what? Nowhere to send them, nowhere safe in the whole Library. Vashta Nerada growing in every shadow. 4,022 people all beamed up and nowhere to go. They're stuck in the system, waiting to be sent, like emails. So what's a computer to do? What does a computer always do?"

"It saved them," River answered.

"The Library, a whole world of books, and right at the core, the biggest hard drive in history. The index to everything ever written, backup copies of every single book. The computer saved 4,022 people the only way a computer can. It saved them to the hard drive."

An alarm went off in the Library.

"What is it?" Mr. Lux asked. "What's wrong?"

"Autodestruct enabled in 20 minutes," a female computer voice said.

The Doctor began typing.

"What caused that?" Shawn asked.

"What's maximum erasure?" River added.

"20 minutes, this planet's gonna crack like an egg," the Doctor answered.

"No! No, it's all right," Mr. Lux explained. "The doctor moon will stop it. It's programmed to protect CAL."

The screen then went black.

'No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"All Library systems are permanently offline," indicated a male computer voice. "Sorry for any inconvenience."

"We need to stop this. We've got to save CAL!" Mr. Lux said.

"What's CAL?" Shawn asked.

"We need to get to the main computer; I'll show you all," Mr. Luz simply answered.

"It's at the core of the planet."

"Well, then. Let's go!" River said, smiling. She activated the floor at the center of the room, enabling a stream of blue lights and a platform to emerge. "Gravity platform!"

"I bet I like you."

"Oh, you do!"

The five survivors stepped onto the platform and it descended. As soon as they landed, they ran to the data core.

"The Data Core!" the Doctor exclaimed. "4,000 living minds, trapped inside it."

"Yeah, well, they won't be living much longer, we're running out of time," River warned.

Everyone began hearing a cry for help.

"What's that?" Anita asked.

"It sounds like a young girl," Shawn answered.

"The computer's in sleep mode," the Doctor said while pressing various keys. "I can't wake it up. I'm trying."

"Doctor, these readings." River noticed at another terminal.

"I know," the Doctor responded. "You'd think it was dreaming."

"It is dreaming," Mr. Lux said, "of a normal life. And a lovely dad, and of every book ever written."

"Computers don't dream," Anita said.

"No, but little girls do," Mr. Lux responded as cries for help continued. He opened a door and proceeded to another room with everyone following. In the room, they saw a node with the face of a little girl crying for help.

"Isn't that the little girl from that computer screen?" Shawn asked.

"Yes, it's her," the Doctor said.

Mr. Lux sighed. "She is the computer. She's the main command node, CAL."

"CAL is a child! Hooked up to a mainframe? Why didn't you tell me this? I needed to know!"

"Because she's family! CAL . . . Charlotte Abigail Lux. My grandfather's youngest daughter. She was dying, so he built her a library, and put her living mind inside, with a moon to watch over her, and all of human history to pass the time, any era to live in, any book to read. She loved books more than anything. He gave her them all. He asked only that she be left in peace. A secret, not a freak show."

"You weren't protecting a patent," the Doctor said. "You were protecting her."

"This is only half a life, of course, but it's forever."

"And then the shadows came," the Doctor added.

"Shadows," CAL said at that prompt. "I have to . . . I have to save . . . Have to save . . ."

"And she saved them. She saved everyone in the Library, folded them into her dreams and kept them safe."

"Then why didn't she tell us?" Anita asked.

"Because she's forgotten. She's got over four thousand living minds chatting away inside her head. It must be like . . . being . . . well, me."

"So what do we do?" River asked.

"Easy!" the Doctor cried as he ran to a terminal and the computer warned everyone about the autodestruct. "We beam all the people out of the data core. The computer will reset and stop the countdown. Difficult. Charlotte doesn't have enough memory space left to make the transfer. Easy! I'll hook myself up to the computer and she can borrow my memory space!"

Suddenly, the Doctor turned to look at Shawn. River did the same thing.

River turned to the Doctor. "It'll kill you, Doctor. Then, it will kill Shawn."

The Doctor contemplated the risk.

"You can't take that risk with Shawn's life at stake."

"Doctor . . ." Shawn said. The Doctor and River looked at him, but he found that he didn't know what else to say. "I can heal whoever is going through that process," he finally finished, though he meant to say something else.

"Your power won't work on me, but I'm not letting anyone else do this. There's another way," the Doctor said. "River, you and Lux need to go back to the main Library and prime any data cells you can find for maximum download."

"That's no other way!" River said.

"I'm setting up another relay. We can move the data somewhere else." The Doctor looked at River.

"Mr. Lux, with me. Anita, make sure he doesn't do anything before I come back!" River then departed with Mr. Lux.

The Doctor exhaled and looked at Shawn.

"There's no other way, is there?" Shawn asked.

"No. I'm sorry, Shawn. There's no other way. I don't know how else to save Donna and everyone else."

Shawn nodded. "Go ahead."

"Okay," the Doctor responded as he started working.

"What about the Vashta Nerada?" Anita asked.

"These are their forests. I'm going to seal Charlotte inside her little world, take everybody else away. The shadows can swarm to their hearts' content."

"So you think they're just gonna let us go?"

"Best offer they're gonna get."

"You're gonna make them an offer?"

"They'd better take it, cos right now, I'm finding it very hard to make any kind of offer at all. You know what . . . I really liked Anita. She was brave, even when she was crying, and she never gave in. And you ate her."

The Doctor made the helmet's interior visible, revealing Anita's skull.

"But I'm gonna let that pass. Just as long as you let them pass."

"How long have you known?" the Vashta Nerada asked.

"I counted the shadows. You only have one now. She's nearly gone. Be kind."

"These are our forests. We are not kind."

"I'm giving you back your forests, but you are giving me them. You are letting them go."

Shadows started to extend from Anita's body.

"Doctor!" Shawn cried.

"These are our forests. They are our meat."

"Don't play games with me! You just killed someone I liked. That is not a safe place to stand. I'm the Doctor and you're in the biggest library in the universe. Look me up."

Following a beat of silence, the shadows withdrew.

"You have one day," the Vashta Nerada said right before it fell to the ground.

The Doctor looked at Shawn.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah, Doctor, if it will save thousands of lives," Shawn said after a moment of hesitation.

"Anita!" River cried as she suddenly appeared. She crouched down to Anita's skeleton.

"I'm sorry, but she's been dead a while now. What are you doing here?"

"I had to come back when I realized you were lying to me."

The Doctor turned around in response and River punched him unconscious.

River looked at Shawn, who didn't know how to react. "It should be me," she said. "Not him, not Mr. Lux, and definitely not you." River then handcuffed the Doctor and continued his work.

"I'll stay with you and heal you as that thing goes through you," Shawn said.

"You can't. I'll spoil something for you, Shawn, as long as you never tell anyone."

"I won't."

"Your power doesn't work on Time Lords, so it's not going to work on me."

"Donna mentioned to me that he's the only one left."

"I'm not a full Time Lord, but I have enough Time Lord aspects in my DNA that you can't help me."

Shawn sighed and wandered a bit. "I . . . I was prepared to die."

"I know. You're glad, though, that you get to live. You shouldn't deny it. It's all right, Shawn. It's fine. If I do this, one person dies."

"I . . . I've been a pain to the Doctor. I took a lot out on him and I thought . . ."

"He understands; it's nothing to him. And you're not necessarily wrong to do so."

"Do you know what happened when he met me?"

"Yes, and I know you're angry, but you'll forgive each other and – " River suddenly stopped herself.

"Each other?" Shawn asked. "You mean him being mad about this? Or something else?"

"Spoilers, Shawn."

"It couldn't be this because you only found out that he was lying. What am I going to do?"

River didn't respond.

Shawn gave up and continued to watch as River worked. After nearly five minutes, the Doctor stirred.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, come on. What are you doing? That's my job!"

"Oh, and I'm not allowed to have a career, I suppose?"

"Why am I handcuffed? Why do you even have handcuffs?"

"Spoilers!"

"This is not a joke. Stop this now. This might kill you!"

"It might not with Shawn here. I'm timing it for the end of the countdown. There'll be a blip in the command flow. That way it should improve our chances of a clean download."

"River! Please, no!"

"Funny thing is, this means you've always known about this. All the time we've been together, you knew I was coming here. The last time I saw you, the real you, the future you, I mean . . . you turned up on my doorstep, with a new haircut and a suit. You took me to Derillium to see the singing towers. Oh, what a night that was! The towers sang, and you cried."

The computer announced that one minute was left.

"You wouldn't tell me why," River continued," but I suppose you knew it was time. My time. Time to face this. You even gave me your screwdriver . . . that should've been a clue."

"Shawn," the Doctor said. "Give me the screwdrivers, please."

"I don't think I should, Doctor. She seems to know more than you about this." Tears began to form in his eyes.

"There's nothing you can do and you don't have a choice. If you die here, it means I've never met you."

"Time can be rewritten."

"Not those times. Don't you dare. It's okay, Doctor. Shawn's here."

"Shawn can't help you, can he? There's something about you." The Doctor looked at Shawn, who was beginning to fall apart.

"It's okay. You'll see me again."

The countdown neared zero.

"River, you know my name. You whispered it in my ear. There's only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name. There's only one time I could."

"Hush, now! Spoilers." River smiled at the Doctor.

Shawn approached River and put his hands on her cheeks. "I'm still going to try, River."

River smiled and nodded. As the countdown came closer to zero, River put two cables together, resulting in a blinding white light. The Doctor and Shawn had to look away, but Shawn kept his hands on River's face. He continued to channel his power through her, desperate to save her. Eventually, he fell to the floor, out of breath and lightheaded. The white light eventually faded.

"Screwdriver, now!" the Doctor cried.

Shawn crawled to the screwdrivers and gave them to the Doctor. The Doctor immediately freed himself and ran to River, checking and scanning her.

"Doctor, I tried to help her, but I don't think I did. Is she dead?"

The Doctor closed his eyes and lowered his head.

"I'm sorry, Doctor."

"Did she tell you why your power wouldn't work on you?"

"She did, but she said I can't tell you. I'll leave you alone," Shawn said, remembering the Doctor's words to the Vashta Nerada after it killed someone he liked and stood near him.

Shawn made it back to the reception area and saw many people around him. Because they were wearing black, it was easy to find Donna. She was frantically looking for someone.

"Donna!" Shawn went up to her and hugged her. "You're back. The Doctor's . . . down a few levels."

"I'm looking for someone else. He's a tall man with dark short hair. His name is Lee."

"I can help look for him."

"What's wrong? I saw Mr. Lux. Where's everyone else?"

"They're all dead. River was the last to die. I don't completely understand everything, but I think she used her brain to upload or store some data. It killed her. I couldn't save her."

"How's the Doctor taking it?"

"Badly. He wanted to be the one to do it, but River wouldn't let him. I let her do it. The Doctor probably hates me."

"No, he wouldn't hate you."

The Doctor then appeared and Donna ran to him to hug him.

Shawn kept his distance and looked around, asking tall men with short brown hair their names. He eventually gave up and saw the Doctor and Donna, so he approached him.

"I'm all right, too," Donna told the Doctor.

The Doctor looked at Shawn. "Come on," he said, as he took Donna's right hand.

The three returned to the stairs they were on when they looked outside. The Doctor put River's journal and screwdriver on the railing.

"Your friend," Donna said. "Professor Song . . . She knew you in the future, but not me. What happens to me? When she heard my name, the way she looked at me . . ."

"Donna, this is her diary. Our future. I could look you up. What do you think? Shall we peek at the end?"

"Spoilers, right?"

"Right. Let's go back to the TARDIS."

The Doctor, Donna, and Shawn ascended up the stairs. Shawn continued to maintain a distance from the Doctor and didn't follow him when the Doctor suddenly turned around and bolted down to the screwdriver. He did, however, hear the Doctor exclaim that he saved River. The Doctor ran up the stairs past Shawn. Donna eventually joined Shawn.

"Do you know where he's going?" Shawn asked.

"No. Let's wait for him in the TARDIS."

"Donna," Shawn said as they walked. "River told me something about herself. I think it's pretty big."

"A spoiler?"

"Yeah. I think she told me because me knowing wouldn't have any consequence. Maybe I won't be around much longer."

"You never know. You might want to keep traveling with us after your bond goes away."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"I think the Doctor would like it. I sure would."

Shawn smiled at Donna and they made it back to the TARDIS, where they waited for the Doctor. He eventually showed himself. The TARDIS doors opened with the Doctor standing a distance away. Shawn could see, and was slightly relieved by, a small smile on the Doctor's face. The Doctor entered and snapped his fingers, prompting the doors to close.

"You did it," Shawn said.

"Yeah," the Doctor answered in a neutral tone that Shawn couldn't analyze.

"New trick?" Donna asked.

"Oh, yeah. I don't think any of this will ever stop surprising me."

"Onwards then?"

"Onwards!"


	5. Midnight

Chapter 5: Midnight

"I'm going to give it one more shot, Doctor," Shawn said as he approached a telephone. He waited for Donna to pick up,

"No," Donna said without waiting for the question.

"The Doctor said the sapphire waterfalls are from glaciers that crack and pour into a ravine or something."

"It's going to take too long just to get there and come back. I'd rather sunbathe."

"Donna, please," Shawn said quietly. "I don't want to be alone with him."

"Listen, if you two are going to be stuck for a while longer, you need get along. It might do you two some good to have a long chat without me there."

"I doubt it," Shawn replied.

"Let's get going, Shawn," the Doctor said.

"I gotta go," Shawn told Donna.

"You two be careful now."

"I have doubts about that, too. Bye."

The Doctor and Shawn boarded the spacetruck. There was plenty of room, so Shawn took a seat hoping the Doctor wouldn't sit next to him, and ended up disappointed.

The hostess came by and unloaded numerous accessories on both the Doctor and Shawn. "That's the headphones for Channels 1 to 36, modem link for 3D vidgames, complimentary earplugs, complimentary slippers, complimentary juice pack, and complimentary peanuts. I must warn you some products may contain nuts."

"That'll be the peanuts," the Doctor said.

"Enjoy your trip," the hostess responded.

The Doctor smiled and turned forward.

"Doctor, are you still upset with me?" Shawn asked.

"Shawn, I can feel the bond between us weakening rapidly."

"What?"

"Soon, we'll be able to be apart and be perfectly fine."

"Is that what you want?" Shawn asked.

"I thought that's what you wanted all along."

"Yeah, but . . . I guess . . . You didn't answer my question. Or is that your way of answering it?"

"I'm not upset. I was at first, but I can't judge you for the situation you were in."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"So, you're going to have to decide soon whether you want to continue traveling with me or if you want me to take you home. I can take you back a little while after you left if that's what Jordan Collier wanted."

"What do you want, Doctor?"

"I think that if you aren't in a rush to get back to Seattle, Donna would love for you to stay a bit longer."

"I . . . I'll think about it."

The hostess finished the distribution and went to the front of the cabin. "Ladies and gentlemen and variations thereupon, welcome on board the Crusader 50. If you would fasten your seatbelts, we'll be leaving any moment. Doors. Shields down. I'm afraid the view is shielded until we reach the Waterfall Palace. Also, a reminder, Midnight has no air, so please don't touch the exterior door seals. Fire exit at the rear, and should we need to use it . . . you first." The hostess chuckled. "Now I will hand you over to Driver Joe."

"Driver Joe at the wheel! There's been a diamondfall at the Winter Witch Canyon, so we'll be taking a slight detour, as you'll see on the map. The journey covers 500 kliks to the Multifaceted Coast. Duration is estimated at four hours. Thank you for travelling with us, and as they used to say in the olden days, wagons roll!"

"For your entertainment, we have the Music Channel playing retrovids of Earth Classics," the hostess said. "Also, the latest artistic installation from Ludovico Klein. Plus, for the youngsters, a rare treat - the animation archives. Four hours of funtime! Enjoy!"

Two videos and a hologram assaulted the passengers' senses.

"This is what they call entertainment?" Shawn asked.

The Doctor looked around. "Maybe for some of them." The Doctor stuck out his sonic screwdriver and deactivated all three systems, prompting the hostess to the front.

"I do apologize, ladies and gentlemen and variations thereupon. We seem to have had a failure of the entertainment system."

"But what do we do?" a woman named Val asked.

"We've got four hours of this! Four hours of just . . . sitting here?" Val's husband Biff added.

"Tell you what! We'll have to talk to each other instead!" the Doctor suggested.

For a couple hours, the passengers engaged in conversation with each other, with the Doctor doing most of the talking.

"He doesn't seem to respect you," Shawn told Dee Dee after she talked about Professor Hobbes.

"He does, of course he does. You might think that what I do is menial, but the fact that I do it means that Professor Hobbes doesn't have to. He can spend his time on his research, and that benefits me. He can take care of the bigger things."

"If it's just him with his research, how is that benefitting you?"

"Well, the more he knows, the more he will impart to me."

Shawn later sat down and the Doctor joined him.

"Didn't feel like talking anymore?"

"I ran out of things to say and ask," Shawn replied.

"So . . . are you still upset with me?"

"I've been thinking about the bond weakening . . ." Shawn stopped himself. "You've got me doing it now. I'm not upset at you anymore. Andrea's death still bothers me, but I don't feel angry at you anymore."

The Doctor didn't respond. He knew Shawn had more to say even if Shawn wasn't sure about sharing it. The Doctor merely waited.

"But you haven't actually changed," Shawn finally said. "You still have this gung-ho, aggressive side of you, the same side that was partly to blame for Andrea's death. I don't know what to make of that."

"Donna told me once that I needed someone to stop me."

"It looks like she knows you well."

"Here it is!" Professor Hobbes exclaimed behind the Doctor and Shawn, drawing their attention. "My presentation on Midnight!"

The passengers listened closely as Professor Hobbes gave an informal lecture.

"We look upon this world through glass. Safe inside our metal box. Even the Leisure Palace was lowered down from orbit. And here we are now, crossing Midnight, but never touching it," Hobbes was saying.

The spacetruck suddenly started shaking.

"What's going on?" Shawn asked.

"We've stopped," Val concluded.

"Are we there?" Biff asked.

"We can't be. It's too soon," Dee Dee answered.

"They don't stop," Hobbes said. "Crusader vehicles never stop."

"If you could just . . . return to your seats," the hostess awkwardly said. "It's just a small delay."

"Maybe just a pit stop."

"I thought Professor Hobbes said they never stop," Shawn said.

"That's right," Hobbes responded. "There's no pit to stop in. I should know. I've been on this expedition fourteen times!"

"Well, we have stopped nonetheless," Sky said. "There's no point in denying it."

"We've broken down!" Jethro concluded, laughing.

"Thanks, Jethro," Val responded.

"In the middle of nowhere!" Jethro continued.

"That's enough, now stop it!" Biff warned.

The hostess walked down the aisle. "Ladies and gentlemen and variations thereupon, we're just experiencing a short . . . delay. The driver needs to stabilize the engine feeds. It's perfectly routine, so if you could just stay in your seats . . . "

The Doctor walked towards the door behind the hostess while getting his psychic paper out.

"No, I'm sorry, sir. I . . . could you please . . . " the hostess said.

"There you go, engine expert! Two ticks!" The Doctor opened the door and entered the cockpit.

Shawn caught Jethro staring at him.

"Don't look at me. I don't know what goes through his head when he goes off like that."

"He didn't say he was an engine expert before," Val explained.

"He knows a lot of things," Shawn simply replied.

"He did seem to know some astronomy," Dee Dee mentioned. "We were talking about the lost moon of Poosh."

"Is he going to be able to help us?" Biff asked.

"I'm . . . not sure," Shawn replied.

"He mentioned that you two have been traveling together a bit with someone else," Hobbes said. "Surely you must know about his capabilities to some degree."

"Well, no. He tries to help of course," Shawn faked. "Things don't always work out . . . but he tries to be helpful . . ." Shawn suddenly realized that he wasn't actually lying.

The Doctor returned.

"What did they say? Did they tell you? What is it, what's wrong?" Sky asked.

"Oh, just stabilizing," the Doctor answered, "happens all the time."

"I don't need this. I'm on a schedule. This is completely unnecessary!" Sky complained.

"Back to your seats," the hostess ordered. "Thank you."

Right after the Doctor took his seat, Dee Dee got his attention.

"Excuse me, Doctor, but they're micropetrol engines, aren't they?"

"Now, don't bother the man," Hobbes told Dee Dee.

"My father was a mechanic," Dee Dee responded to Hobbes before returning to the Doctor. "Micropetrol doesn't stabilize. What does 'stabilize' mean?"

"Well. Bit of flim-flam. Don't worry, they're sorting it out."

"So it's not the engines?" Hobbes asked.

"It's just a little pause, that's all."

"How much air have we got?"

"Professor, it's fine."

"What did he say?" Val asked.

"Nothing!" the Doctor responded quickly.

"Are we running out of air?" Val asked.

"I was just speculating," Hobbes said as the hostess returned.

"Is that right, miss?" Biff asked. "Are we running out of air?"

"Is that what the captain said?" Val added.

Concerns among the passengers flew around, getting louder.

"Doctor, will we be all right?" Shawn asked quietly.

The Doctor looked at Shawn. "I don't know, but I'm going to do my best to make sure that we are." The Doctor slowly stood up. "Everyone, please be QUIET! Now, if you would all listen to my good friend Dee Dee . . . "

"Oh! Um . . . it's just that . . . well, the air's on a circular filter so . . . we could stay breathing for ten years."

"There you go!" the Doctor said. "And I've spoken to the Captain. Everything's fine."

Everyone then heard two knocks against the spacetruck's walls.

"Is that normal?" Shawn asked.

"It must be the metal," Hobbes said. "We're cooling down. It's just settling."

"Rocks," Dee Dee offered. "Could be rocks falling."

"What I want to know is, how long de we have to sit here." Biff said.

The knocking repeated at a different part of the shuttle

"What is that?" Sky asked. "Is something out there?"

"Now, don't be ridiculous!" Hobbes replied.

"Like I said, it could be rocks," Dee Dee said.

"We're out in the open," the hostess responded. "Nothing could fall against the sides."

The knocks repeated.

"Knock knock," the Doctor said.

"Who's there?" Jethro replied jocularly.

"Is there something out there?" Sky asked. "Well? Anyone?"

The knocking repeated.

"Doctor, what's out there?" Shawn asked.

"Nothing!" Hobbes replied. "The light out there would destroy any living thing in a split second. It's impossible for someone to be outside."

The knocks repeated.

"Maybe not something you'd recognize as alive," Shawn pointed out.

"Well, what do you think is out there?" Hobbes asked snidely.

"I don't know, but I'm not a pompous astronomer trying to show off." Shawn replied as the Doctor held one end of a stethoscope to a wall.

"Excuse me?" Hobbes said to Shawn.

"Hello?" the Doctor said quietly.

Knocks came from another part of the wall.

"It's moving," Jethro observed.

The door rattled.

"It's trying the door!" Val cried.

"There is something out there, then," Shawn said.

Knocking continued at various points, then settling at a door.

"That's too deliberate to be not living," Shawn said, looking at Hobbes.

"Can it get in?" Val asked.

"No," Dee Dee answered. "The door's on two hundred weight of hydraulics."

Biff went to the door and felt around it.

"Biff, don't . . . " Val warned.

"Mr. Cane, better not," the Doctor added.

"Nah, it's cast iron, that door," Biff said as he knocked three times.

Three knocks came from outside.

"Three times!" Val exclaimed. "Did you hear that? It did it three times."

"It answered," Jethro said.

"It did it three times!" Val repeated.

"All right, all right," the Doctor said, "all right, everyone calm down."

"No, but it answered," Sky said. "It . . . answered. Don't tell me that thing's not alive. It answered him!"

The three knocks repeated.

"I really must insist," the hostess said. "You get back to your seats!"

"No!" Sky responded. "Don't just stand there telling us the rules! You're the hostess, you're supposed to do something!"

"I don't think this is the time for rules and protocol," Shawn said as the Doctor went to the door and knocked four times.

After a couple beats of silence, four knocks answered.

Sky yelled in panic. "What is it?"

Shawn put his hand on her shoulder to calm her, thought it seemed to do little good.

"What's making that noise?" Sky continued. "She said she'd get me. Stop it, make it stop. Somebody make it stop! Don't just stand there looking at me, it's not my fault. He started it with his stories and he made it worse."

"Calm down, this isn't helping," Dee Dee said.

"Why couldn't you leave it alone? Stop staring at me! Just tell me what that is!"

"Calm down!" Dee Dee yelled.

Continuous banging emanated from the roof, seemingly approaching Sky.

"It's coming for me. Oh, it's coming for me. It's coming for me," Sky cried as she backed up, "It's coming for me! It's coming for me!" Sky started screaming.

The Doctor advanced. "Get out of there!"

Suddenly, the entire spacetruck shook. Sparks flew and people screamed until everything stopped.

"Is anyone injured?" Shawn asked.

Everyone checked themselves.

"Earthquake, must be," Hobbes said.

"The ground is fixed, professor," Dee Dee replied. "It's solid."

"We've got torches, everyone," the hostess said. "Take a torch, they're in the back of the seats."

Jethro approached Sky and Val approached him.

"Oh, Jethro, sweetheart, come here."

"Never mind me, what about her?"

"What happened to the seats?" Val asked. She noticed that the area around Sky was in disarray.

Sky sat motionless and speechless, faced away from everyone else.

"Who did that?" Biff asked.

"They've been ripped up," Val said.

The Doctor went to Sky and bent down. He put a hand on her left shoulder. "It's all right. It's all right. It's all right. It's over. We're still alive. Look, the wall's still intact. Do you see?"

"Joe? Claude?" the hostess asked into an intercom.

"We're safe," the Doctor told Sky.

"Driver Joe, can you hear me? I'm not getting any response, the intercom must be down."

The hostess opened the cockpit door and revealed bright lights. Everyone screamed until the door closed.

"What happened?" Shawn asked.

"Have we lost the driver?" Biff asked.

The Doctor knelt down at a panel.

"The cabin's gone," the hostess said.

"Don't be ridiculous. It can't be gone, how can it be gone?" Hobbes asked.

"You saw it!" Dee Dee replied.

"There was nothing there, like it was ripped away," the hostess said.

"What are you doing?" Biff asked the Doctor, shining light onto him.

"That's better, bit of light, thank you. Molto bene!"

"Do you know what you're doing?" Val asked.

"The cabin's gone," Biff said. "You'd better leave that wall alone."

"The cabin can't be gone!" Hobbes exclaimed.

"Seriously, man, for a scientist you seem really blind to all the evidence around you," Shawn said.

"It's safe," the Doctor assured them. "Any rupture would automatically seal itself. But something sliced it off. You're right, the cabin's gone."

"But if it gets separated . . . " the hostess said.

"It loses integrity. I'm sorry, they've been reduced to dust – the driver and the mechanic. But they sent a distress signal. Help is on its way. They save our lives. We're gonna get out of here." The Doctor looked at Shawn. "We're still alive, and they're gonna find us."

"Doctor, look at her," Jethro said.

Everyone looked at Sky.

"Right, yes, sorry . . . Have we got a medical kit?"

"Doctor, maybe I should help her," Shawn offered.

"Not until we know what we're dealing with, Shawn."

"Why won't she turn around?" Jethro asked.

"What's her name?"

"Sky," Shawn answered.

"Sky? Can you hear me?" the Doctor asked as he knelt down. "Are you all right? Can you move, Sky? Just look at me."

"The noise, from the outside . . . " Jethro said.

"It stopped," Shawn finished. "Is it still outside or is it in here?"

"It was heading for her," Jethro said, referring to Sky.

"Sky," the Doctor said. "It's all right, Sky. I just want you to turn around, face me."

Sky slowly turned around, staring at the Doctor. She looked unhurt, but mentally disturbed. She quickly glanced at the passengers individually.

"Sky?" the Doctor called.

Sky repeated him.

"Are you all right?"

"Are you all right?" Sky repeated.

"Are you hurt?"

Sky repeated him again.

"You don't have to talk."

"You don't have to talk."

"I'm trying to help."

"I'm trying to help."

"My name's the Doctor."

"My name's the Doctor."

"Doctor, why is she doing that?" Shawn asked.

Sky turned to Shawn. "Doctor, why is she doing that?"

"She's gone mad," Biff said.

Sky looked at Biff. "She's gone mad."

"Stop it," Val commanded.

"Stop it."

"I said stop it."

"I said stop it."

"I don't think she can," Dee Dee explained.

"I don't think she can."

"All right," Hobbes said. "Now stop it. This isn't funny."

"All right. Now stop it. This isn't funny."

"Sh, sh, sh, all of you," the Doctor said.

"Sh, sh, sh, all of you."

"My name's Jethro."

"My name's Jethro."

"Jethro, leave it, just shut up!" the Doctor said.

"Jethro, leave it, just shut up!"

"Why are you repeating?"

"Why are you repeating?"

"What is that, learning?"

"What is that, learning?"

"Copying?"

"Copying?"

"Absorbing?"

"Absorbing?"

"The square root of pi is 1.. Wow!"

"The square root of pi is 1.. Wow!" Sky repeated.

The passengers looked at each other.

"But that's impossible," Hobbes claimed.

"But that's impossible."

"She couldn't repeat all that," Dee Dee said.

"She couldn't repeat all that."

"Tell her to stop!" Val cried.

"Tell her to stop!"

"She's driving me mad."

"She's driving me mad."

"Just make her stop!"

"Just make her stop!"

"It's got to be a trick," the hostess said.

"It's got to be a trick."

"Stop her staring at me. Shut her up," Val said.

"Stop her staring at me. Shut her up."

"That's impossible," Dee Dee added.

"That's impossible."

"I'm telling you, whatever your name is . . . " said Biff.

"I'm telling you, whatever your name is . . . "

"Now, just stop it, all of . . . " the Doctor suggested.

"Now, just stop it, all of . . . "

"Her eyes. What's wrong with her eyes?" Hobbes asked.

"Her eyes. What's wrong with her eyes?"

"She can copy anything," Jethro observed.

"She can copy anything."

"Biff don't just stand there, do something, make her stop," Val said.

"Biff don't just stand there, do something, make her stop."

"You're scaring my wife."

"You're scaring my wife."

"Mrs. Silvestry," the hostess addressed.

"Mrs. Silvestry."

"Six, six, six," Jethro said, having a little fun. Sky repeated him.

Apprehensive chatter continued for a while and Shawn remained silent, not wanting to compound the situation.

"Make her stop," Val said.

"Make her stop."

The lights suddenly came back on, accompanied by a high-pitched shrill that silenced everyone.

The hostess exhaled loudly. "Well then, that's the backup system."

"Well!" Biff exclaimed. "That's a bit better."

Shawn suddenly looked at Sky, noticing that she didn't repeat anyone. His reaction drew Jethro's attention and they looked at each other and shrugged. Shawn stared at Sky while Jethro turned to the Doctor.

"What about the rescue, how long's it gonna take?" Val asked.

"About 60 minutes. That's all," the hostess answered.

"Doctor, she's not repeating anymore," Jethro said, drawing everyone's attention.

"Well, obviously she was in a state of self-induced hysteria," Hobbes explained. "I think it would be best if – "

Hobbes stopped as he noticed that Sky had spoken the last sentence with him.

"We should all leave her . . . " Hobbes and Sky said simultaneously.

". . . alone," Sky finished.

"What's she doing?" Hobbes and Sky asked.

"How can she do that? She's talking with you . . . and with me!" Val and Sky said.

"Doctor, whatever this is is worse now," Shawn and Sky said. "I think I should try – "

"No," the Doctor and Sky responded. "We don't know what this is yet. It's too risky."

"That's impossible," Dee Dee and Sky said.

"There's not even a delay," Hobbes and Sky remarked.

"Ohhh man, that is weird," Jethro and Sky commented.

"I think you should all be very, very quiet, have you got that?" the Doctor and Sky said.

"How's she doing it?" Val and Sky asked.

"Mrs. Cane, please, be quiet," the Doctor and Sky responded.

"But how can she do that?" Val asked in unison with Sky.

Shawn finally piped in. "That's not helping," he said with Sky. "Could you please just listen to the Doctor for now and shut up?"

The Doctor crouched down in front of Sky, looking at her. "Now then, Sky. Are you Sky? Is Sky still in there? Mrs. Silvestry?" the Doctor said with Sky.

"Maybe that's not a good idea," Shawn suggested with Sky.

"You know exactly what I'm going to say. How are you doing that?" the Doctor continued with Sky. "Roast beef! Bananas! The Medusa Cascade." The Doctor and Sky leaned in towards each other. "Bang! Rose Tyler Martha Jones Donna Noble Shawn Farrell TARDIS!"

"Doctor!" Shawn cried with Sky.

The Doctor stood up.

"First she repeats. Then she catches up. What's the next stage?" the Doctor and Sky asked.

"Next stage of what?" Dee Dee asked with Sky.

"But that's not her, is it?" Jethro asked, also joined by Sky. "That's not Mrs. Silvestry any more."

"I don't think so, no," the Doctor and Sky answered as Val started crying. "The more we talk, the more she learns. Now, I'm all for education, but in this case, maybe not. Let's just . . . move back. Come on. Come with me. Everyone get back, all of you, as far as you can." The Doctor ushered everyone to the gallery.

"Doctor, make her stop," Val requested with Sky.

"Val, come on, come to the back. Stop looking at her. Come on, Jethro, you too. Everyone, come on. 50 minutes, that's all we need. 50 minutes till the rescue arrives. And she's not exactly strong. Look at her. All she's got is our voices."

"I can't look at her," Val said along with Sky.

"You don't have to. Look somewhere else," Shawn and Sky suggested.

"'We must not look at goblin men,'" Dee Dee and Sky quoted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Biff asked.

"It's a poem, isn't it?" Jethro and Sky asked.

"'We must not look at goblin men. We must not buy their fruits. Who knows upon what soil they fed, their hungry, thirsty roots?'"

"Actually, I don't think that's helping," the Doctor and Sky commented.

"She's not a goblin, or a monster, she's just a very sick woman," said Hobbes and Sky.

"Maybe that's why it went for her," Jethro and Sky suggested.

"There is no 'it'!" Hobbes replied with Sky.

"How can you say that after all we've seen?" Shawn and Sky responded. "I know that people can have powers, but we know something was out there and tried to come in. It probably did!" Shawn looked at the Doctor. "Is this what we're like to you? Is this why you're like that?"

"That knocking, it went all the way round the bus until it found her," Jethro and Sky said. "And she was the most scared, out of all of us. Maybe that's what it needed. That's how it got in."

"You might be right about that," the Doctor and Sky suggested. "I think there might be a consciousness inside her, but maybe Mrs. Silvestry is still in there. It's our job to help."

"Well, you can help her," Biff and Sky said. "I'm not going near."

"No, I've got to stay back," the Doctor replied with Sky. "If she's copying us, maybe the final stage is becoming us. I don't want her becoming me, or things could get a lot worse."

"So what do you think we should do, then?" Shawn and Sky asked.

"We wait for rescue and then get Mrs. Silvestry to the hospital."

"We should throw her out," the hostess and Sky suddenly suggested.

"I beg your pardon?" Hobbes asked with Sky.

"Can we do that?" said Val and Sky.

"Don't be ridiculous," the Doctor answered with Sky.

"That thing, whatever it is," the hostess and Sky explained, "killed the driver, and the mechanic. And I don't think she's finished yet."

"She can't even move!" the Doctor and Sky exclaimed.

"Look at her. Look at her eyes!" the hostess and Sky snapped back. "She killed Joe, and she killed Claude, and we're next."

"She's still doing it," Biff and Sky remarked. Biff walked towards Sky. "Just stop it! Stop talking! Stop it!"

"Biff, don't, sweetheart!"

"But she won't stop!" Biff rejoined the group. "We can't throw her out, though. We can't even open the doors."

"No one is getting thrown out!" the Doctor and Sky said.

"Yes, we can," Dee Dee and Sky said.

"You can't be agreeing with that!" Shawn interjected with Sky.

"I'm just saying that when you open the door, there's a pressure wall that takes six seconds to collapse, enough time to throw someone out."

"Thanks," the Doctor and Sky said sarcastically. "That's just what we needed."

"Would it kill her, outside?" Val and Sky asked.

"I don't know," Dee Dee and Sky responded, "but she's got a body now. It would certainly kill the physical form."

"No one is killing anyone!"

"I wouldn't risk the cabin door twice," the hostess and Sky explained. "But we've got that one. All we need to do is grab hold of her and throw her out."

"Now, listen, all of you. For all we know, that's a brand new life form over there. And if it's come inside to discover us, then what's it found? This little bunch of humans, what d'you amount to? A murder? Cos this is where you decide. You decide who you are. Could you actually murder her? Any of you? Really? Or are you better than that?"

"I'd do it," the hostess and Sky finally said after a beat of silence and looking around.

"So would I," Biff added with Sky.

"And me," Val and Sky said.

"We can't kill someone!" Shawn said with Sky.

"Jethro?" the Doctor and Sky asked.

"I'm not killing anyone," Jethro and Sky replied.

"He's just a boy. They both are," Val and Sky said.

"So we don't get a vote?" Jethro and Sky asked.

"We're going to live with this for the rest of our lives," Shawn said with Sky. "We should get a say in this, too."

"Dee Dee?" the Doctor asked with Sky.

"I . . . I don't know. You said she's growing in strength."

"That's not what I said!"

"I want to go home and be safe."

"You'll be safe. The rescue truck is on its way."

"And what happens then, Doctor?" the hostess and Sky asked. "What if that thing reaches civilization and spreads?"

"I'll be there to contain it."

"You haven't done much so far," Val and Sky said.

"You're just standing in the back with the rest of us!" Biff and Sky remarked.

"She's dangerous," the hostess and Sky said. "It's my job to see this vessel is safe, and we should get rid of her."

"Now hang on," Hobbes and Sky interjected. "I think, perhaps we're all going a little bit too far."

"At last!" the Doctor and Sky exclaimed. "Thank you."

"Two people are dead!" the hostess and Sky said.

"Don't make it a third!"

"Or what?" Biff and Sky asked.

"I'm not sure you even get a vote," the hostess and Sky said. "You weren't even booked in, or Shawn. Rest of you, tickets in advance. You just turned up out of the blue."

"Where from?" Val and Sky asked.

"And before you two boarded, you were talking to someone on the phone," the hostess and Sky added, addressing Shawn. "Who were you talking to?"

"Just a friend. I'm not allowed to talk to someone else?"

"What were you talking about?" Biff and Sky asked.

"That's none of your business. It has nothing to do with this."

"You were talking to her, too, all on your own," Biff and Sky added, referring to Sky. "Before all the trouble, right at the front, you were talking to her. I saw you."

"Everyone was!" Shawn and Sky answered for the Doctor.

"And you went into the cabin," the hostess and Sky said. "What were you doing there? And with the wires in that panel? How did you know what to do?"

"You haven't even told us your name!" Val exclaimed with Sky.

"What kind of doctor are you?" Hobbes and Sky asked. "It has to be said, you have had a certain glee about all of this since it started."

"All right, I'm interested, yes. I can't help it. What's happening is brand new and fascinating!"

"You wanted this to happen?" Val and Sky accused.

"That's not what he said!" Shawn and Sky replied.

"Who are you?" Val and Sky asked.

"You saw his identification," Shawn said. "He's an engine expert, so why are you accusing him for knowing a lot of stuff?"

"And I suppose you think we're just idiots?" Biff and Sky asked.

"Of course not," the Doctor and Sky answered.

"You've been looking down on us from the moment we walked in," Val and Sky said.

"Perhaps we have to throw you out, too," the hostess and Sky said. "Do we need to do the same to your accomplice?"

"Now you want to kill us because we don't want to kill someone else? And because he knows a lot?" Shawn and Sky asked. "Does that make any sense?"

"I know you're scared," the Doctor tried to assure the group with Sky speaking with him, "and so am I. Look at me, I am. But we have all got to calm down and cool off and think."

"What's your name?" Hobbes and Sky asked.

"What does it matter?"

"Then tell us," the hostess and Sky said.

"John Smith."

"Your real name," Hobbes and Sky demanded.

"You're lying. I can tell from your face." Biff looked at Shawn. "What's his name?"

Shawn hesitated.

"Do you even know?" Biff and Sky asked.

"Of course, I do."

"You're lying, too. Do you know anything about him?"

"I know about the lives he's saved. He's trying to do that again now."

"Why should we believe you?" Val and Sky asked. "You two might have been lying to us right from the start!"

"No one's call John Smith!" Biff and Sky exclaimed.

"Listen to me, right now!" the Doctor and Sky asserted. "You need us, all of you. If we're gonna get out of this, you need us!"

"Need you?" Val questioned. "If anyone's in charge, it should be the professor!"

"Mum . . ." Jethro said. He glanced at Sky.

"Keep out of this, Jethro!" Val demanded.

"Stop! Just look, mum!"

Everyone looked at Sky, who was still crouched and staring at everyone.

"She stopped!" Dee Dee exclaimed.

"When did she . . ." the Doctor asked with Sky. "No, she hasn't, she's still doing it."

"She looks the same to me," Val remarked. "No, she stopped! Look, I'm talking and she's not!"

"What about me?" Biff asked. "She's not doing me!"

"Mrs. Silvestry?" the hostess asked. "Nor me! Nothing!"

"Mrs. Silvestry?" Shawn said alone.

"Sky?" the Doctor and Sky asked. "What are you doing?"

"She's still doing him!" Dee Dee said.

"Doctor, it's only you," said Hobbes. "She's only copying you."

"Why me?" the Doctor and Sky asked. "Why are you doing this?"

"She won't leave him alone!" Dee Dee said.

"You see? I said so, she's with them," Val suggested.

"She's not copying me," Shawn said.

"Then she's with him and you're a fool for believing him!" Biff argued. "He deceived you!"

"No . . . he hasn't."

"How do you explain it?" Hobbes asked the Doctor. "If you know so much, explain this."

"I don't know," the Doctor and Sky replied. "Sky, stop it. I said stop it, just stop it!"

"Look at the two of them!" Val exclaimed as the Doctor approached Sky and crouched down.

"Mrs. Silvestry, I'm trying to understand. You've captured my speech. What for? What d'you need? You need my voice in particular. The cleverest voice in the room. Why? Cos I'm the only one who can help? Ohhh, I'd love that to be true. But your eyes. They're saying something else. Listen to me. Whatever you want, if it's life, or form, or consciousness, or voice, you don't have to steal it. You can find it without hurting anyone. And I'll help you. That's a promise. So. What d'you think?"

"Do we have a deal?" Sky asked.

"Do we have a deal?" the Doctor asked a fraction of a second behind Sky.

The others stared in shock.

"Hold on, did she . . ." Dee Dee began.

"She spoke first," Jethro observed.

"She can't have," Val said.

"She did!" Hobbes replied.

"Great, that you believe immediately," Shawn commented quietly.

"She spoke first!" Jethro said.

**"**Oh, look at that, I'm ahead of you," Sky said.

"Oh, look at that, I'm ahead of you."

"Did you see?" Hobbes asked. "She spoke before he did! Definitely!"

"He's copying her," Jethro remarked.

"Doctor, what's happening?" Hobbes asked.

"I think it's moved," Sky said.

"I think it's moved," the Doctor repeated, not starting until after Sky stopped.

"I think it's letting me go."

"I think it's letting me go."

"What do you mean?" Dee Dee asked. "Letting you go from what?"

"But he's repeating now. He's the one doing it! It's him!" Biff said.

"They're separating," said Jethro.

"Mrs. Silvestry? Is that you?" Hobbes asked.

"Yes, yes, it's me."

"Yes, yes, it's me."

"I'm coming back, listen. It's me!"

"I'm coming back, listen. It's me!"

"Like it's passed into the Doctor," Jethro said. "It's transferred. Whatever it is, it's gone inside him."

"No, that's not what happened," Dee Dee said.

"What do you mean?" Shawn asked.

"Who cares? Look at her!" Val said.

"Look at me, I can move."

"Look at me . . . "

"I can feel again."

"I can move. I can feel again."

"I'm coming back to life."

"I'm coming back to life."

"And look at him, he can't move."

"And look at him, he can't move."

"Help me."

"Help me."

"Professor?"

"Professor?"

"Get me away from him."

"Get me away from him."

"Please."

"Please."

The Professor moved to Sky and led her to the back of the shuttle.

"Ohhh thank you."

"Ohhh thank you."

"They completely separated," Jethro commented.

"It's in him, do you see? I said it was him all the time," Biff claimed.

"She's free!" Val said. "She's been saved."

"Oh, it was so cold," Sky said.

"Oh, it was so cold."

"I couldn't breathe."

"I couldn't breathe."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry."

"I must've scared you so much."

"I must've scared you so much."

Val hugged Sky. "No, no, it's all right. I've got you."

"I wouldn't touch her," Dee Dee suggested.

"It's gone," Biff remarked. "She's clean. It's gone into him."

"That's not what happened," Dee Dee said.

"Thank you for your opinion, Dee, but clearly, Mrs. Silvestry has been released."

"What do you think happened, Dee Dee?" Shawn asked.

"She started out repeating us, then she synchronized with us. It stands to reason that she would advance to knowing ahead of time what we'd say."

"That's nonsense, Dee Dee," Hobbes said.

"You can't stand for her to be right?" Shawn accused. "How many times have you been wrong already?"

"You're the one telling me to take in what I've seen. What do you see now, boy?"

"I see something that could have two explanations."

"From observation, the Doctor can't move and when she was possessed, she couldn't move."

"Well, there we are then!" Biff said. "Now, the only problem we've got is this Doctor."

"It's inside his head."

"It's inside his head."

"It killed the driver."

"It killed the driver."

"And the mechanic."

"And the mechanic."

"And now it wants us."

"And now it wants us."

"I said so!" Val exclaimed.

"He's waited so long."

"He's waited so long."

"In the dark. And the cold."

"In the dark. And the cold."

"And the diamonds."

"And the diamonds."

"Until you came."

"Until you came."

"Bodies so hot."

"Bodies so hot."

"With blood."

"With blood."

"And pain."

"And pain."

"Make him stop!" Val said. "Make him stop!"

"But she's saying it!" Dee Dee said.

"And you can shut up!" Val snapped back.

"If it passed into him," Dee Dee explained, "and he's only repeating, he should be repeating all of us!"

"So you've chosen his side?" Biff accused.

"No!"

"The voice is the thing!" Jethro said.

"And she's the voice! She stole it! Look at her! It's not possessing him, it's draining him!" Dee Dee said.

"So what do we do?" Shawn asked.

"I don't know," Dee Dee answered.

"She's got his voice . . ." the hostess said.

"I saw it pass into him," Val said. "I saw it with my own eyes."

"So did I," Biff added.

"You didn't!" Dee Dee replied.

"It went from her to him." Val looked at Jethro. "You saw it, didn't you?

"I don't know."

"Oh, don't be stupid, Jethro. Of course you did!"

"Don't talk to him like that!" Shawn said. "If he didn't see it, he didn't see it."

"You shut up," Val said. "You could be next."

"Or I could not. You don't know what's going on."

"And neither do you," Biff argued. "Everyone saw it, everyone!"

"You didn't, you're just making it up! I know what I saw, and I saw her stealing his voice," Dee Dee said.

"She's as bad as him. Someone shut her up!" Val cried.

"I think you should be quiet, Dee," Hobbes suggested.

"Well, I only saying . . ."

"And that's an order! You're making a fool of yourself! Pretending you're an expert in mechanics and hydraulics, when I can tell you, you are nothing more than average, at best! Now shut up!"

Shawn suddenly punched Hobbes across the face, prompting Biff to tackle Shawn onto the ground and holding him.

"That's how he does it," Sky continued.

"That's how he does it."

"He makes you fight."

"He makes you fight."

"Creeps into your head."

"Creeps into your head."

"And whispers."

"And whispers."

"Listen."

"Listen."

"Just listen."

"Just listen."

"That's him."

"That's him."

"Inside."

"Inside"

"Throw him out!" Biff cried while still holding Shawn.

"Get him out of my head!" Val cried.

Hobbes grabbed the Doctor and began dragging him the Doctor towards a door.

"Yes!" Sky cried.

"Yes!"

"Get off me!" Shawn yelled at Biff. "Jethro, stop the professor!"

Jethro looked too stunned to move.

"How can you two be okay with murder now?"

"Throw him out!" Sky said.

"Throw him out!"

"Get rid of him!"

"Get rid of him!"

"Now!"

"Now!"

"Stop!" Dee Dee cried.

"It'll be you next!" Val responded.

"I don't think we should do this!" the hostess said.

"It was your idea!" Biff replied.

"Throw him out!" Val barked. "Just do it, throw him out!"

"Cast him out!" Sky said.

"Cast him out!"

"Into the sun!"

"Into the sun!"

"I want him out!" Val continued yelling.

"And the night!"

"And the night!"

"Do it!"

"Do it!"

"Do it now!"

"Dot it now!"

"Faster!"

"Faster!"

"That's the way!"

"That's the way!"

"Do it" Val shouted. "Jethro, help him!"

"I can't."

"You can do it!" Sky said.

"You can do it!"

"Molto bene!"

"Molto bene!"

Shawn stopped struggling as he heard the last part.

"That's his voice," the hostess realized.

"The starlight waits!"

"The starlight waits!"

"She's taken his voice!" the hostess said.

"The emptiness!"

"The emptiness!"

Shawn grabbed a part of Biff's bare forearm and started to drain Biff's arm. Biff suddenly let go of Shawn and Shawn launched towards Sky, hands out, ready to take a risk. However, the hostess got to Sky first.

"The Midnight sky!"

"The Midnight sky!"

The hostess grabbed Sky and pushed her against a door. She then pushed a button to opening a door. The blinding light that emerged made everyone scream except the hostess, who held onto Sky and began counting. At 6, the hostess and Sky were jettisoned out, the door closed, and everyone stopped screaming.

"It's gone, it's gone . . . " the Doctor kept on repeating as he lied on the floor and slowly sat up.

"I said it was her," Val claimed.

The Doctor shot Val an accusatory look and Val looked away.

"What did you do to me?" Biff asked Shawn. "Who are you?

"Calm down. It was just a nerve pinch," Shawn said.

"That was not a nerve pinch. I know that was not a nerve pinch!"

"Like you knew that thing passed onto the Doctor?"

Biff looked stunned and left Shawn alone.

Val looked at Jethro. "Jethro? Are you all right?"

Jethro didn't look at her. "You wanted to kill two people. And threatened . . ." Jethro sank in his seat, keeping his gaze away from everyone.

"It was to save our lives," Val explained futilely.

Twenty minutes later, a message came through the speakers, indicating the approach of a rescue vehicle. Everyone was sitting far from each other, looking out except for Shawn, who sat next to the Doctor, looking forward. The Doctor sat in the aisle with his back against Shawn's seat.

"The hostess . . . what was her name?" the Doctor asked.

No one replied.

Eventually, everyone arrived back at the Leisure Palace. The Doctor walked slowly to Donna with Shawn following him. Donna gave the Doctor a big hug, then gave another to Shawn.

"What do you think it was?" Donna asked later when the three were sitting down.

"No idea."

"Do you think it's still out there?"

"There could be others," Shawn suggested.

"You'd better tell them, this lot," Donna said.

"Yeah, they can build a Leisure Palace someplace else," the Doctor answered.

"Can't imagine you without a voice," Donna said.

The Doctor looked at Shawn.

"Thank you for sticking up for me, Shawn."

Shawn nodded and Donna smiled.

"I should get dressed. We can have dinner early."

"Yeah, and then we'll set off," the Doctor said. He looked at Shawn. "Home?"

"Onto another adventure, Doctor."

The Doctor smiled slightly and nodded.


	6. Turn Left

**Who Lives and Who Dies**

In the spirit of Turn Left, here's a retelling of chapter 1 if the Doctor never showed up due to dying in battle against the Racnoss queen. This chapter is the reason why the story is rated T.

Chapter 6: Turn Left

Shawn approached the receptionist at Dr. Carmen's office.

"Hi, I'm Daniel Wyatt and this is my fiancée, Milla Demopoulos."

"Please have a seat, Mr. Wyatt, Miss Demopoulos. Dr. Carmen will be with you shortly."

"Thank you."

Shawn and Avra waited for twenty minutes before Ross Carmen showed himself and ushered the two into a cold room holding an odd machine.

"How long have you been in pain? Ross asked.

"Close to four months," Avra answered.

"When you're in pain, how much does it hurt on average, on a scale from one to ten?"

"On average, I'd say four."

"Okay. What I have says you experience pain around three times a day, lasting around 20-50 minutes?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Well, I can definitely help you. Please lie down."

Avra situated herself under the machine as Shawn looked on, noticing how tense Avra was. Ross turned on the machine and then took a syringe out of a locked cabinet. He injected Avra with a light green liquid.

"Just give it a moment, Milla," Ross instructed.

After a few minutes, Avra seemed to relax and Ross turned on the machine and held Avra's hand.

"How are you feeling, Milla?" Shawn soon asked.

"I'm good. It feels like a warm glow, I think."

"Where are you feeling it?" asked Shawn.

"Everywhere. It's kind of nice."

"Do you treat specific areas?" Shawn asked Ross.

"It's pinpointed at areas that need repair, but it helps rejuvenate other parts of the body as well."

"That's great," Shawn commented.

After another few minutes, the machine stopped.

"We're done here," Ross said. "However, you should keep lying there for a short while. Just give yourself a little time. I'll be right back." Ross then left Shawn and Avra alone.

"How are you really feeling?" Shawn asked.

"Pretty good, actually," Avra answered.

"Can you get up?"

"Yes."

"Good. I looked around. I don't see any cameras. I need you to unlock that cabinet. We should take a sample of that liquid back."

Avra got up and quickly went to the cabinet. She reformed her index finger into a clay-like substance and inserted it into the lock. She then hardened her finger and turned, giving Shawn access to a syringe.

Shawn quickly took one and Avra closed the door, turned her finger again, and laid back down.

Several minutes later, Ross returned.

"How are you feeling?"

"Very good," Avra responded. "I feel great. Thank you so much."

"The chemists think this is alien," Jordan told Shawn two days later. "But they can't explain what it does. It seems to target neurotransmitters, but that's all they know."

"Alien?"

"The idea shouldn't be too farfetched, given what we experienced."

"It's not, Jordan. It's just . . . I don't know."

"No one here can explain the machine, even after taking the liquid into consideration. That might be alien in origin as well."

"So what now? Should we inform NTAC?"

"We've pretty much confirmed alien technology in the United States. We're not going to let NTAC ruin it."

Shawn nodded.

"Did you notice anything suspicious about Carmen himself?"

"No. Do you think he's an alien?"

"It's definitely a possibility. I can assure him that it's safe for him to confide in us."

"You're going to Utah?"

"Of course. I need to meet this guy."

"And if he doesn't want to confide in you? If he's concerned about being exposed?"

"I'll bring reinforcements with me. You should come, too."

Jordan noticed some hesitation.

"It took me a few days to get Avra an appointment. That's probably how long you have to make up your mind."

The next week, Shawn accompanied Jordan and three other 4400 returnees to Ross Carmen's office.

"Hi, I'm Jordan Collier. Lev here has an appointment. You must be Brett Lemay."

"Do I look like a Brett Lemay? I am Anuradha Jayaraman. These people are all with you?"

"They're very interested in Doctor Carmen's work."

After fifteen minutes, Ross Carmen showed his face as he escorted a patient out. Ross was struck by Jordan's appearance.

"I know who you are," Ross said.

"Then you know that I work very hard for displaced individuals who need community and safety."

"What makes you think I am displaced or need either?"

Jordan looked at Anuradha.

"Anuradha," Ross said. "You can leave for your lunch break early today."

Anuradha got up and left the office.

"This is Shawn. You've met him, but you knew him as Daniel Wyatt. I hope you'll excuse the deception, but he's in a position to gather information about your practice."

"I can heal other people," Shawn said.

"Based on your procedure and your patient's account, Shawn was able to determine that your alien technology is responsible for your success, not you. That makes us wonder if you are an alien yourself."

Ross did not react.

"We would welcome you to our cause, expand the scope of our work if you are an alien and help you with whatever you need here on Earth."

"And why would you want to help me?"

"Because we know what it's like to be feared on this planet without due cause."

Ross hesitated but then revealed his current true form as a bat-like being.

Jordan was able to hold his composure, but the others with him were visibly stunned.

"What species are you?" Jordan asked.

"Krillitane."

"Are there others like you on Earth?"

"I am alone," Ross said. "There is another group of Krillitanes that will come soon, but not yet," Ross hesitantly added.

"We would welcome them as well."

Ross looked at Shawn.

"Do you only treat those who are ill? Can you improve overall health?" Ross asked.

"I don't know, I've never tried."

"The process can be taxing on Shawn," Jordan explained. "He's only worked on the unhealthy."

"Then please permit me to take the first step in our new alliance by running your members through my process. I have time for some of you right now."

"We appreciate the offer," Jordan began.

"Surely there are those among you that could benefit from better health. I insist, Jordan Collier. I understand this would be an appropriate gesture in this culture."

"Very well. Thank you." Jordan signaled the three other accompanying returnees to follow Ross.

"What's your name?" Ross asked the first person he put under the machine and injected.

"I'm Derek Lewis."

"What power do you possess?"

"I run quickly."

Ross learned about the two others as he treated them. He found out that Shana Pham was very strong and Jessica Pat could make others perceive deafening noises without them actually being present.

"And Milla? Did she have a power?"

Shawn looked at Jordan before answering. "She could turn her fingers temporarily into clay."

"That sounds like it could have many, many applications," Ross said.

"She's able to do a lot," Jordan responded.

"Like picking locks?"

No one responded.

"Brett was telling the truth then about not stealing from me. A shame it's too late."

"I'm sorry . . . " Shawn began.

"No worries. Now, Jordan, I believe it's your turn."

"Sorry, Ross, Shawn's healing has a detrimental effect on my health. I don't think I should take the risk."

Shawn, Derek, Shana, and Jessica were suddenly alarmed by Jordan's lie, wondering if he suspected any danger.

"I insist," Ross said. "My process is safer than Shawn's."

"Sorry, I can't take that chance."

Ross frowned and activated a few switches on the machine. Then he turned to his patients.

"Jessica, keep an eye on Shawn," Ross ordered. "Derek, Shana, prepare Jordan."

Derek and Shana grabbed Jordan and forced him under the machine.

"You know too much. It's time to bring you under my control."

"We don't know anything," Shawn said. "The 4400 Center's chemists couldn't tell what anything does."

"Well, now you know. And you'll be next."

Jordan struggled futilely.

Shawn ran towards Ross, but had to stop under Jessica's power. He heard in his head a tormenting noise that forced his onto the ground, clutching his head.

"Shawn! Block it!" Jordan cried.

Shawn couldn't hear Jordan, but did see out of the corner of his eye Ross injecting Jordan. Quickly, Shawn got up, grabbed a chair, and threw it at Jessica. The distraction stopped Jessica and Shawn lunged at Ross. He grabbed Ross' face and began to drain him of life energy.

Ross, however, maintained enough strength to push his right hand through Shawn's stomach.

Shawn felt his pants wet with his own blood but kept his grip. Jessica soon saved him by using her power on Ross. As soon as she broke free from Ross' influence, Shana ran to Ross and punched him hard. Shawn stumbled and then collapsed onto the ground.

"Get him under!" Jordan ordered.

Shana placed Shawn under the machine and Jordan grabbed a syringe and injected Shawn.

"What about the risk?" Derek asked.

"If Ross is dead, there's probably no danger. This was all about mind control."

Jordan followed the same steps that Ross did and was able to save Shawn, though Shawn was still unconscious. He went to Ross and saw that Ross was still conscious. Ross' head was partially detached from the rest of his body and he was dying.

"This was your goal? Controlling the minds of as many people as you can?"

"The other Krillitanes will fail. They cannot infiltrate a school in the manner they desire. It's up to me to . . ." Ross finally died.

Shawn soon woke up and he started to stir.

"How are you feeling, Shawn?"

"I'm all right. What happened?"

Jordan summoned some contacts to cover up everything that happened and soon he, Shawn, and the three others were on their way back to Seattle.

"He mentioned others coming," Shawn said to Jordan.

"He might have been lying. He's lied about lots of things."

"And if he wasn't lying?"

"I'll keep an eye out for strange things going on in this country. He doesn't think the plan will succeed anyway, so maybe we don't have anything to worry about."

Shawn nodded.

"You did a good job with this, Shawn."


	7. The Stolen Earth

Chapter 7: The Stolen Earth

The TARDIS dematerialized on Earth and the Doctor shot out with Donna and Shawn behind him. They all looked around.

"It's fine," the Doctor said. "Everything's fine. Nothing's wrong, all fine!"

The Doctor noticed a milk truck coming to a stop. "Excuse me," he yelled at the milkman. "What day is it?"

"Saturday," he replied.

"Saturday. Good, good," the Doctor said. "I like Saturdays."

"So, I just met Rose Tyler?" Donna asked.

"Yeah," the Doctor answered.

"But she's locked away in a parallel world."

"Exactly. If she can cross from her parallel world to this parallel world, then that means the walls of the universe are breaking down. Which puts everything in danger. Everything. But how?"

The Doctor ran back into the TARDIS and Donna and Shawn followed.

"Who's Rose Tyler?" Shawn asked.

"She's a friend of the Doctor's. She's supposed to be in a parallel universe," Donna explained, as the Doctor was busy with the controls. "She's not supposed to be able to do what she did."

Donna walked up to the Doctor.

"Thing is, Doctor. No matter what's happening, and I'm, I'm sure it's bad. I get that. But . . . Rose is coming back. Isn't that a good thing?"

The TARDIS suddenly shook, nearly knocking everyone down.

"What happened?" Shawn asked.

"It came from outside!" the Doctor exclaimed as he ran to the door. He pulled them open and he, Donna, and Shawn saw the cosmos.

"How did we get here?" Shawn asked.

"We're in space, Doctor," Donna remarked.

The Doctor ran back to the console and looked at a monitor.

"What did you do?" Donna asked.

"I didn't do anything. We haven't moved. We're fixed. It can't have! No!"

The Doctor ran back to the door. "The TARDIS is still in the same place, but the Earth has moved. The entire planet. It's gone." He ran back to the console.

"But if the Earth's been moved, they've lost the sun!" Donna worried. "What about my mum? And granddad? They're dead, aren't they? Are they dead?"

Shawn held Donna's hand.

"I don't know," the Doctor replied. "I'm sorry, I don't know."

"That's our family," Donna continued. "Our whole world."

The Doctor continued with the controls. "There's no readings. Nothing. Not a trace. Not even a whisper. Oh, that is fearsome technology!"

"Is there anything you can do?" Shawn asked.

"We need to get help. We're going to the Shadow Proclamation."

The trip was violent and unsettling. Shawn wondered if he was on Earth at that time. He had told the Doctor and Donna that he wished to continue traveling with them, but certainly not in indefinite terms like Donna. He questioned when the Doctor would be able to drop him off when the time came for Shawn to leave.

"So go on then; what is the Shadow Proclamation, anyway?" Donna asked.

"Posh name for police," the Doctor answered. "Outer space police. Here we go!"

The TARDIS landed unsmoothly and the Doctor advanced to the door. The three saw six large beings, five with helmets on and one with a rhino head. Shawn presumed the others had similar heads. The helmeted beings pointed their guns at the Doctor, Donna, and Shawn.

"Sco bo tro no flo jo ko fo to to," the being without the helmet said as the three travelers held their hands up.

"No bo ho sho ko ro to so," the Doctor responded. "Bo-ko-do-zo-go-bo-fo-po-jo!"

The ones with helmets put their guns down.

"Mo ho," the Doctor finished.

The six beings left. The Doctor, Donna, and Shawn remained.

"Doctor, what are they?" Donna asked.

"Judoon. Outer space police."

Minutes later, a woman entered.

"She's the Shadow architect," the Doctor said quietly.

"Time Lords are the stuff of legend. They belong in the myths and whispers of the higher species. You cannot possibly exist," a woman said.

"Yeah, more to the point. I've got a missing planet."

"Then you're not as wise as the stories would say," the architect countered. "The picture is far bigger than you imagine. The whole universe is in outrage, Doctor. Twenty-four worlds have been taken from the sky."

"How many?" the Doctor asked. "Which ones? Show me!" He ran to a computer screen.

"Locations range far and wide," the architect explained. "But all disappeared at the exact same moment. Leaving no trace."

The Doctor read the files. "Callufrax Minorr, Jahoo, Shallacatop, Woman Wept, Clom! Clom's gone! Who'd want Clom?"

"All different sizes, some populated, some not. But all unconnected," the architect said.

"What about Pyrovillia?" Donna asked.

"Who is the female?"

"Donna! I'm a human being, and so is Shawn. We might not be the stuff of legend, but we're every bit as important, thank you."

Donna's response drew smiles from both the Doctor and Shawn.

"Way back when we were in Pompeii, Lucius said Pyrovillia had gone missing."

"Pyrovillia is cold case. Not relevant!" a Judoon explained.

"What does that mean?" Shawn asked.

"The planet Pyrovillia cannot be a part of this," the architect said. "It disappeared over 2,000 years ago."

"Yes, yes, hang on," Donna replied. "But there's the Adipose breeding planet, too. Miss Foster said that was lost, but that must've been a long time ago, too."

"That's it! Donna, brilliant! Planets are being taken out of time as well as space. Let's put this into 3D," the Doctor said, bringing up a holographic display of the 24 planets. "Now, if we add Pyrovillia . . . and Adipose 3 . . . Something missing. Where else, where else . . . lost . . . lost . . The lost moon of Poosh!"

The two planets and the moon appeared in the display and the 27 objects moved around.

"What did you do?" the architect asked.

"Nothing. The planets rearranged themselves into the optimum pattern. Oh, look at that! Perfect balance. Come on, that is gorgeous!"

"Oy, don't get all spaceman," Donna warned. "What does it mean?"

"All those worlds fit together like pieces of an engine. It's like a powerhouse! What for?"

"Who could design such a thing?" the architect asked.

"Someone tried to move the Earth once before . . . " the Doctor remarked.

"Who?" the architect asked.

"The Daleks."

"Okay," Donna said. "That's a start. If they're trying again, is there anything you can do to find them?"

"Do they leave any trace? Would there be any clues back where Earth was?" Shawn suggested.

The Doctor sighed.

"There are options we can explore," the architect said. "If you help, it will take less time."

"Of course," the Doctor replied.

The Doctor and the architect worked together at the computer while Donna and Shawn walked around with little to do.

"How long do you plan on staying with us?" Donna asked.

"I don't know."

"Do you think you're on Earth right now?"

"I was thinking the same thing, and I'm not sure. If I traveled around with you two for a while, he could still take me back to the same time we met, right?"

"Yeah, he can do that," Donna answered.

"Maybe I'm there, then."

Donna and Shawn then sat down on a staircase and looked forward, not having much else to say and having a lot to contemplate.

Shawn chuckled. "He didn't want me to know about the 4400 future stuff, but here I am, knowing what's going to happen to Earth in my future."

A girl soon walked up to the two. "You two need sustenance. Take the water, it purifies."

"Thank you."

"There was something on your back," the girl said.

"How did you know that?"

"You are something new."

"Not me, I'm just a temp. Shorthand, filing, 100 words per minute, fat lot of good that is now. I'm no use to anyone."

"I'm so sorry for your loss," the girl said.

"Yeah, our whole planet's gone."

"I mean the loss that is yet to come."

"What does that mean?" Shawn suddenly asked.

The girl looked at Shawn. "Oh, what a terrible thing you will do!"

"What?"

The girl didn't answer. She quickly fled away.

The Doctor came to the staircase. "Donna, you're from this time. Maybe you noticed some sort of warning. Was there anything happening back in your day? Electrical storms or weird patterns in the sky?"

"How should I know?" Donna replied. "I don't think so."

"All right, never mind," the Doctor said.

"Although . . . there was the bees disappearing," Donna offered.

"The bees disappearing . . ." the Doctor contemplated. "The bees disappearing . . . the bees, disappearing!" The Doctor ran to the computer.

"How is that significant?" the architect asked.

Donna and Shawn advanced towards the Doctor.

"On Earth we have these insects. Some people said it was pollution, or mobile phone signals," Donna explained.

"Or . . . they were going back home!" the Doctor said.

"Back home where?" Donna asked.

"Planet Melissa Majoria!"

"Bees are aliens?" Shawn asked.

"Not all of them," the Doctor answered. "If the migrant bees felt something coming and escaped, Tandoca!"

"The Tandoca Scale!" the architect remarked.

"Tandocca Scale is the series of wavelengths used as a carrier signal by migrant bees," the Doctor said. "Infinitely small, no wonder we didn't see it! Like looking for a speck of cinnamon in the Sahara, but look! There it is. The Tandocca trail. The transmat that moved the planets was using the same wavelength, we can follow the path!"

Donna ran towards the TARDIS. "And find the Earth? Well, stop talking and do it!"

The Doctor and Shawn joined the run.

"I am!" the Doctor exclaimed.

The Doctor burst into the TARDIS and to the console, activating the controls.

"We're a bit late, the signal's scattered," the Doctor said. "But it's a start!"

"So long and thanks for the pollen," Shawn quietly said as the Doctor went to the door and spoke with the architect. The Doctor soon returned and the TARDIS dematerialized.

The flight continued on and the Doctor, Donna, and Shawn stared at a monitor even though Shawn didn't understand it.

Suddenly, the TARDIS stopped.

"We're not moving anymore, are we?" Shawn asked.

"Is that good or bad?" asked Donna. "Where are we?"

The Doctor stared at the screen. "The Medusa Cascade. I came here when I was just a kid. Ninety years old. It was the center of a rift in time and space."

"So where are the 27 planets?" Donna asked.

"Nowhere," the Doctor answered. "The Tandoca Trail stops dead. End of the line."

"So what do we do? Doctor? What do we do?"

The Doctor didn't respond.

"Doctor?" Shawn said. "What can we do?"

"Don't do this to me, please, not now. Don't do this to us. Tell me, what are we going to do?" Donna looked at Shawn and then back to the Doctor. "You never give up. Please."

Donna covered her mouth. Shawn put her head on his shoulder. Tears began forming in his eyes.

The three stayed in the same spot silently for a few minutes.

"Maybe I won't leave after all," Shawn said very quietly.

A ring broke the silence.

"Phone!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"Doctor, phone!" Donna said.

The Doctor answered. "Martha, is that you? It's a signal!"

"Can we follow it?" Donna asked.

"Oh, just watch me!" the Doctor said. He put on a stethoscope and hit some controls.

"Got it!" the Doctor cried when another ring was heard. "Locking on!" He pulled a lever, causing the TARDIS to shake and red lights to come on.

Several fires began in the TARDIS.

"We're traveling through time!" the Doctor exclaimed. "One second into the future. The phone call's pulling us through! Three! Two! Oooooooonnnnnnnnnne!"

Planets started to appear on the monitor.

"Twenty-seven planets – and there's the Earth," Donna realized. "Why couldn't we see them?"

"The entire Medusa Cascade has been put a second out of sync with the rest of the universe. Perfect hiding place, tiny little pocket of time. But we found them! Oh, oh, what's that? Hold on, hold on, some sort of subwave network . . ."

The screen fluctuated and five other people appeared on the screen.

"Where have you been?" a guy cried. "Doctor, it's the Daleks!"

"It's the Daleks, they're taking people to their spaceship . . ." an older woman said. A younger woman began speaking, too, overlapping, as did the first guy.

"Sarah Jane!" the Doctor said. "Who's that boy? That must be Torchwood. Aren't they brilliant? Look at you all, you clever people!"

"That's Martha," Donna said. "And who's . . . he?"

"Captain Jack," the Doctor answered.

Donna gasped.

"Don't," the Doctor warned. "Just . . . don't."

"It's like an outer space Facebook," Donna remarked.

"Everyone except Rose . . ." the Doctor said.

The screen suddenly went gray and the Doctor sighed.

"We've lost them!" Donna said.

"No, no, no, no," the Doctor said while trying to manipulate the controls. "There's another signal coming through, there's someone else out there." The Doctor hit the monitor. "Hello? Can you hear me? Rose?"

"Your voice is different. And yet, its arrogance is unchanged," a voice said. "Welcome to my new empire, Doctor." An ugly creature finally appeared on screen, prompting Donna to back up. "It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection, and the triumph, of Davros."

Donna noticed the Doctor's concern. "Doctor?"

"Have you nothing to say?" the villain asked.

"Doctor, it's all right," Donna said quietly. "We're in the TARDIS, safe."

"But you were destroyed," the Doctor said. "In the very first year of the Time War. At the Gate of Elysium. I saw your command ship fly into the jaws of the Nightmare Child. I tried to save you."

"But it took one stronger than you," Davros responded. "Dalek Caan himself."

"I flew into the wild and fire," a new crazy-sounding voice said in a sing-song voice. "I danced and died a thousand times."

"Emergency temporal shift took him back into the Time War itself," Davros explained.

"But that's impossible! The entire war is timelocked!" the Doctor said.

"And yet he succeeded. Oh, it cost him his mind. But imagine: a single, simple Dalek succeeded where emperors and you have failed. A testament, don't you think, to my remarkable creations?"

"And you made a new race of Daleks?" the Doctor asked.

"I gave myself to them. Quite literally. Each one grown from a cell of my own body." Davros showed his body. His ribs and heart were visible.

Shawn groaned in disgust.

"New Daleks. True Daleks. I have my children, Doctor. What do you have, now?" Davros asked.

"After all this time," the Doctor said. "Everything we saw . . . everything we lost . . . I have only one thing to say to you . . . Bye!"

The Doctor pushed a lever and the TARDIS moved to Earth. It soon landed and the Doctor, Donna, and Shawn exited. They were on a quiet street littered with abandoned cars.

"It's like a ghost town," Donna said.

"Look at the sky," Shawn remarked. The three looked up and saw some of the other planets.

"It's beautiful . . . and horrible," said Donna.

"Why isn't the gravity affecting the Earth?" Shawn asked.

"Maybe it did. Maybe this is what happened," the Doctor suggested.

The three looked around some more.

"Doctor . . . " Donna said. "It's her."

The Doctor looked at Donna, then where Donna was looking. Shawn saw a blonde girl in a purple jacket holding a big gun. She ran towards the Doctor and the Doctor ran towards her. A Dalek then appeared and shot the Doctor. Donna gasped and ran towards the Doctor. Jack suddenly teleported in and killed the Dalek. Shawn then joined everyone by the Doctor's side.

"I've got you, it missed you," Rose said. "Look, it's me."

"Rose . . . " the Doctor said weakly.

Shawn put his hands on the Doctor's face.

"That won't work, Shawn," the Doctor informed.

"I've got to try," Shawn replied.

After a few seconds, however, Shawn had to let go and stumbled.

"We need to get him into the TARDIS now!" Jack cried. He picked up Rose's gun and handed it Shawn. "Hold this!"

Donna and Rose helped the Doctor to the TARDIS. Jack helped Shawn.

Everyone arrived by the console and Donna and Rose laid the Doctor down. He was convulsing and groaning.

"What do we do? There must be something we can do!" Donna said.

"Just step back," Jack said. "Rose, do as I say and get back! He's dying and you know what happens next."

"What happens?" Shawn asked.

"He's going to change," Jack answered.

"His hands are glowing," Shawn noticed.

"It's starting," the Doctor said.

"Here we go!" Jack said as he pulled Rose off the Doctor. "Good luck, Doctor."

"Will someone explain what is happening?" Donna said.

"When he's dying, his-his body . . . it-it repairs itself," Rose explained. "It changes. But you can't!"

The Doctor managed to stand. "I'm sorry, it's too late. I'm regenerating."

Energy suddenly burst out of the Doctor's head and hands. Jack held onto Donna and Rose and Donna held onto Shawn as a bright light and loud noise emanated through the area.


	8. Journey's End

Chapter 8: Journey's End

Shawn managed to look at the Doctor. He saw the Doctor directing all the yellow energy into a jar holding a hand. The Doctor stumbled back, breathing heavily.

"Now then, where were we?" the Doctor asked as he headed off to the hand. He bent down and blew the yellow energy away. "There now . . . "

"Was that normal?" Shawn asked. "For you, I mean?"

"Nope! I used the regeneration energy to heal myself and then siphoned off the rest into a handy bio-matching receptacle, namely, my hand. My hand there, my handy spare hand!"

"That's your hand?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah."

"You have three hands?"

"That one was chopped off, so I regrew another hand."

"I thought we had reached the limit of all that weirdness."

Rose approached the Doctor. "You're . . . still you?"

"I'm still me."

The Doctor and Rose hugged. Jack and Donna smiled for them.

"You can hug me, if you want," Donna told Jack. "Shawn won't mind being left out."

Jack laughed.

"No, really, you can hug me."

Donna finally took the initiative and hugged Jack.

"All right, let's see what we can do for the Earth," the Doctor said as he approached a monitor.

"They'll probably have the TARDIS surrounded soon enough," said Jack.

"Check that for me, would you?" the Doctor requested.

Jack went to the other side of the console, followed by Rose.

"If we can locate . . . here . . ." the Doctor said. He started on a set of controls.

The lights suddenly went off and the TARDIS' systems seemed to shut down.

The Doctor walked around the console, slightly panicked. "They've got us! Power's gone! Some kind of chrono loop."

The TARDIS suddenly shook, knocking everyone off balance.

"We're moving!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"To where?" Donna asked.

"There's a massive Dalek ship at the center of the planets," Jack explained. "They're calling it the Crucible. Guess that's our destination."

"You said these planets were like an engine, Doctor. But what for?" Donna asked.

"Rose!" the Doctor said. "You've been in a parallel world. That world's running ahead of this universe. You've seen the future. What was it?"

"It's the darkness," Rose answered.

"The stars were going out," Donna added.

"One by one," Rose continued. "We looked up at the sky and they were just dying. Basically, we've been building this um . . . this travel machine, this . . . this, uh, dimension cannon, so I, so, I could . . . "

"What?" the Doctor asked.

"So I could come back," Rose said. She saw the Doctor's smile. "Shut up. Anyway, suddenly, it started to work and the dimensions started to collapse. Not just in our world, not just in yours, but the whole of reality. Even the void was dead. Something is destroying everything."

"In that parallel world," Donna said. "You said something about me."

"The dimension cannon could measure timelines, and it's . . . it's weird, Donna, but they all seemed to converge on you."

"But why me? I mean, what have I ever done? I'm a temp, from Chiswick!"

A beep signaled that the TARDIS was near its destination.

"The Dalek Crucible," the Doctor said. "All aboard!"

Soon, they stopped moving.

"Doctor, you will step forth or die," a voice outside cried.

"We'll have to go out," the Doctor said. "Cos if we don't, they'll get in."

"You told me nothing could get through those doors," Rose said.

"You've got extrapolator shielding!" Jack suggested.

"Last time we fought the Daleks, they were scavengers and hybrids and mad. But this is a fully-fledged Dalek Empire, at the height of its power. Experts at fighting TARDISes. They can do anything. Right now, that wooden door . . . is just wood."

"What about your dimension jump?" Jack asked Rose.

"It needs another 20 minutes, and anyway, I'm not leaving."

"What about your teleport?" the Doctor asked Jack.

"It went down with the power loss," Jack responded.

"Right, then, all of us together, yeah?" The Doctor noticed that Donna was staring into nothing. "Donna?"

Shawn went to Donna. "Donna?"

Donna seemed to snap out of it. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry, there's nothing else we can do," the Doctor said.

"Look, I know," Donna replied.

"Okay," the Doctor said.

"Surrender, Doctor, and face your Dalek masters," the voice from outside said.

"How many do you think are out there?" Shawn asked.

"More than enough," the Doctor answered.

"Daleks," Rose said with a nervous laugh.

"It's been good though, hasn't it?" the Doctor asked rhetorically. "All of us, all of it. Everything we did. Donna, you were brilliant. You too, Shawn. And Jack. Rose. Brilliant." The Doctor exhaled and turned to open the door.

The Doctor slowly walked out, followed by Rose and Jack. Shawn motioned for Donna to go ahead of him.

"Daleks reign supreme. All hail the Daleks!" they all heard from multiple entities.

Donna and Shawn continued out, but then Donna stopped. She looked back at the hand.

"Donna, what is it?" Shawn asked.

Donna didn't respond.

"Donna, you're no safer in there," the Doctor said.

"Donna, what's wrong?" Shawn asked.

"Nothing, nothing," Donna suddenly said. She approached the door, but it shut automatically. She tried to open the door, but couldn't. "Doctor? What have you done?" She stepped aside for Shawn to try, but saw that he couldn't open them either.

"It wasn't me, I didn't do anything!" the Doctor responded outside.

"Oy, don't leave us behind!" Donna said.

"I'm not!" replied the Doctor. "What did you do?" he asked someone.

"This is not of Dalek origin," the voice answered.

"Doctor!" Donna and Shawn cried in unison.

"Stop it!" the Doctor said. "Open the door and let them out! What have you done?"

"This is your doing," the voice replied.

"The door just closed on its own!" said the Doctor as Donna and Shawn kept on trying to open the door.

"Nevertheless," the voice said. "The TARDIS is a weapon and it will be destroyed."

The TARDIS shook violently and Donna and Shawn fell to the ground. Donna cried for the Doctor.

"I don't think we're there anymore!" Shawn said.

Donna and Shawn tried to get back to the console as glass was shattering and fires emerged. They stopped at the console, sitting down and coughing from the smoke. Shawn then noticed that Donna wasn't paying any attention to anything anymore.

"Donna, what is it?" Shawn asked in between coughs.

Donna paid him no attention. She slowly crept to the hand and touched it. Yellow energy poured into Donna, making her convulse. Shawn grabbed her, trying to help, but a release of energy knocked them both down.

"Donna?" Shawn asked.

Donna sat up and looked at the hand.

"It's moving," Shawn observed.

Yellow energy took the form of a man and the Doctor sprung out.

"It's you!" Donna exclaimed.

"Oh yes," the Doctor answered.

"You're naked," Shawn said.

"Oh yes," the Doctor repeated.

The Doctor ran to the console and hit a switch. Then, he ran off into another part of the TARDIS. He later emerged with clothes and started fixing up the place.

"Is this normal?" Shawn asked. "You'd think I'd really be used to this by now."

"All repaired, lovely! Ssh! No one knows we're here. Gotta keep quiet. Silent running, like on submarines when you can't even drop a spanner. Don't drop a spanner! I like blue, what d'you think?"

".bonkers!" Donna cried.

"Why? What's wrong with blue?"

"You're like worms, aren't you?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah, worms," Donna said. "Lop a bit off, grow another one?"

"No, I'm unique. Never been another like me. Cos all that regeneration energy went into the hand. Look at my hand! I love that hand! But then you touched it, WHAM!"

Donna stepped back, gasping loudly.

"Ssh! Instantaneous biological metacrisis. I grew . . .out of you! Still, could be worse."

"Oy! Watch it, Spaceman!"

"Oy! Watch it, Earth Girl!"

The sudden response surprised everyone, including the Doctor himself.

"Oh . . . I sound like you. I sound all . . . all sort of . . . rough."

"Oy!"

"Oy!"

"Oy!"

"Spanners, ssh!" the Doctor said. "I must've picked up a bit of your voice, that's it? Did I? No! Oh, you are kidding me. No way. One heart. I've got one heart! This body has got only one heart!"

"What?" Donna asked. "What, like your human?" She put her hand on the Doctor's chest.

"Oh, that's disgusting!" the Doctor remarked.

"Oy!"

"Oy!"

"So, Doctor, you're part human? Is that what you're saying?" Shawn asked.

"Yes. Isn't that wizard?"

"I keep on hearing that heartbeat, Doctor," said Donna.

"Oh, that was me. My single heart. Cos I'm a complicated event in time and space, must have rippled back. Converging on you."

"But why me?"

"Cos you're special."

"Oh, I keep telling you, I'm not!"

"No, but you are. Oh. You really don't believe that, do you? I can see, Donna . . . what you're thinking. All that attitude. All that lip. Cos all this time . . . you think you're not worth it."

"Stop it!" Donna said.

"Fine. Don't listen to me. This other human here would say the same thing I am: You're special and you're worth it."

Donna and the Doctor both looked at Shawn.

"I'm not sure I can say that without sounding patronizing, so I'm just going to say he's right," Shawn said.

"Look at what you did!" the Doctor continued. "No, it's more than that. It's like we were always heading for this. You came to the TARDIS. And you found me again. I ran into your granddad. You parked your car right next to where the TARDIS would be. That's not a coincidence at all! Ogh! We've been blind. Something's been drawing us together for such a long time."

"But you're talking like . . . destiny. There's no such thing, is there?" Donna asked.

"Three hands, Donna," Shawn pointed out. "And this worm thing. I think anything's possible now."

"It's still not finished. It's like the pattern's not complete. The strands are still drawing together, but for what purpose?"

The Doctor ran to the monitor and hit some controls. Various lines appeared on the screen.

"All these probabilities, and me, you . . . " the Doctor said. "What's going to happen?"

The Doctor started to tune out and focused on the monitor and the controls, trying to figure something out. Donna looked at Shawn, who just shrugged.

"Doctor, everyone else is still out there," Shawn reminded him after a few minutes.

"All these connections, this convergence, it has to have something to do with the Daleks. If we figure it out, we might be able to do something."

The Doctor began to stand up, but the TARDIS shook. The Doctor turned back to the monitor. "It's the planets. The 27 planets!"

The Doctor continued to stare at the screen, trying to analyze what was happening. "That must have something to do with it, too." An image appeared on part of the screen. "Single-string Z-neutrinos compressed into . . . No way!" The Doctor stood up. "He can't! He can't . . ."

"Are you talking about Davros?" Shawn asked.

"What's he doing?" Donna asked.

"He's manipulating electrical energy. Electrical energy connects every atom in existence. All atoms, and Davros is eliminating that. Everything vanishes. Everything." The Doctor ran to another part of the TARDIS, opened part of the floor, and pulled out a few items.

"The universe is at stake," Shawn said. "I can't wrap my head around that."

Donna and Shawn paced around the console silently.

"Donna!" the Doctor called. "Hold this." The Doctor then grabbed some more objects.

"What is that?" Shawn asked.

"Our only hope. It's a Z-neutrino biological inversion catalyzer."

"What will it do?" Shawn asked.

"Davros said he built those Daleks out of himself. His genetic code runs through the entire race. If I can use this to lock the Crucible's transmission onto Davros himself . . ."

"It destroys the Daleks."

"Biggest backfire in history."

The Doctor continued to assemble the device.

"Genocide to save the universe," Shawn said.

The Doctor and Donna looked at him.

"I can live with that," Shawn finished.

The Doctor nodded.

"Ready!" the Doctor said after several more minutes. "Maximum power!" He kicked a lever, setting the TARDIS towards its destination.

"How does that work, Doctor?" Shawn asked.

"Just rotate this and press this."

The TARDIS landed.

"We're here!" the Doctor exclaimed. He ran to the door and opened it. He then charged out, only for Davros to blast him.

"Something's wrong," Donna said. She ran out, followed by Shawn.

"I've got it!" Donna cried.

Shawn took hold of part of the weapon as Davros blasted Donna away. Very quickly, Shawn rotated a bar, aimed the weapon at Davros, and hit a button. The weapon discharged a blast at Davros, who cried in pain.

"No!" the original Doctor shouted.

Davros finally died and there was a moment of silence before everyone heard slight rattling. Then, all the Daleks started to explode.

Among the explosions, Shawn didn't notice that the Supreme Dalek had descended. It had seen Shawn and prepared to fire.

"Move!" the new Doctor said, pushing Shawn. The blast hit the new Doctor in the chest.

The Supreme Dalek continued firing and Shawn tried his best to dodge.

"Your acts are futile," the Dalek said. "The reality bomb has already been activated and you will be exterminated."

Shawn continued to dodge the Dalek, but was limited by pieces of Dalek shells that littered the area. Eventually, the Supreme Dalek cornered him and aimed, but nothing happened.

"What have you done?" The Dalek asked Shawn.

"What's the matter? Macrotransmission of a K-filter wavelength blocking Dalek weaponry in a self-replicating energy blindfold matrix?" a voice said. Everyone turned and saw Donna. "It took a couple extra keystrokes to accommodate your genetic structure, but I'm the best temp in Chiswick – hundred words per minute! Oh, and I also closed all Z-neutrino relay loops using an internalized synchronous back-feed reversal loop! The reality bomb has been deactivated."

"What?" the Doctor asked.

Shawn ran to the new Doctor and tried to save him.

"Donna, you can't even change a plug!" the Doctor said.

"You wanna bet, Time Boy?" Donna saw the Supreme Dalek advancing towards her. "A trip-stitch circuit-breaker in the psycho-kinetic threshold manipulator should stop you!"

The Supreme Dalek started to rotate without control.

"Donna," the Doctor began. "You . . ."

"That was a two-way biological metacrisis!" Donna said. She flipped a couple switches. "I've deactivated the holding fields. Let's send these planets home!"

The Doctor ran to Donna, followed by the others.

"Jack! That terminal!" the Doctor said.

"Is anyone going to explain what is going on?" Rose said.

"He poured all his regeneration energy into his spare hand," Donna explained while typing away. "I touched the hand and that created a new Doctor, but the energy fed back into me. It just stayed dormant in my head til the synapses got that little extra spark, kicking them into life. Thank you, Davros! I'm part Donna, part Doctor. I got the best bit of him. I got his mind. Magnetron activated! Ready?"

The Doctor and Jack nodded.

"And reverse!" Donna said. She, the Doctor, and Jack each pulled out two handles that sent the 27 planets back home.

"Off you go, Clom!" the Doctor said.

"And Adipose 3!" Donna said.

The two kept on naming the planets that were returning to their orbits.

"Aaaaaaaaand . . . Earth!" the Doctor exclaimed. "That's the last one!"

Everyone started cheering until the place started rumbling.

"I was only able to postpone the disintegration of the primary frame," Donna said. "Now with everything else gone, there's nothing holding it."

"Into the TARDIS!" the Doctor ordered. They turned and saw Shawn sitting by the new Doctor.

"I couldn't save him," Shawn said weakly.

Donna ran to Shawn. "It's all right, Shawn. Let's go. Everyone!"

Everyone ran into the TARDIS. The Doctor was the last and he turned around as he as entering.

"Caan! That was you, wasn't it? Bringing everything together?"

"It was always meant to be, Doctor. I only helped!"

"Will you come with me?"

"The Daleks have no place in the universe, Doctor. Not anymore."

An explosion nearby convinced the Doctor to give up and depart. Soon, the TARDIS landed on Earth. Shawn watched as Sarah Jane and the Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS together. Jack and Martha then left together, followed by Mickey.

Donna remained close to Shawn in the TARDIS

"So you're partly the Doctor?" Shawn asked Donna.

"I know what he knows."

"What do you think he thinks about what I did back there?"

"The Doctor understands that you were a teenager stuck in an impossible situation. Those Daleks were going to obliterate the universe. Like you said, genocide is preferable there."

"It felt different when it came time to do it."

"And you weren't supposed to be the one to do it."

"I was ready to give up my life to save over 4,000 people in the Library . . ."

"I know."

"And on top of that, I couldn't save the new Doctor."

"It doesn't get easier when you can't save people. I know. But . . . you'll be okay, Shawn." Donna hugged him.

The Doctor then came back.

"Just time for one last trip," the Doctor said, approaching the controls. He noticed Donna hugging Shawn and Donna gave him a look.

The Doctor set the controls and approached Shawn. "Shawn, they were going to destroy the universe. You weren't wrong." He gave Donna a look that Shawn didn't see.

"That other Doctor . . . " Shawn said.

"It's all right. He shouldn't have even existed," Doctor said.

Shawn frowned slightly at what he considered a cold response. The TARDIS then landed and Jackie left with the Doctor and Rose. Donna and Shawn then followed.

"Doctor, why bring us to Bad Wolf Bay?" Rose asked. "Hold on . . . this is the parallel universe."

"I brought you back home," the Doctor said.

"And the walls of the world are closing again now that the reality bomb never happened," Donna said. "It's dimensional retroclosure. See, I really get that stuff now."

"No, but . . ." Rose began. "I spent all that time trying to find you."

"You shouldn't have tried, Rose. You risked the safety of two universes."

"I can't go back now!"

"This is your home, you have to."

"Doctor!" Rose cried.

"Your family is here, Rose. It's time you moved on."

"You can't expect me to – "

"Rose, please," Jackie interrupted. "Stay for me, and your dad, and Tony. Please."

The TARDIS emitted a grinding sound.

"This reality is sealing itself off. Forever. We need to go," the Doctor explained.

"I'm coming with you," Rose said.

"Rose, we need you," said Jackie.

Donna then advanced to Rose, kissing her passionately on the lips until Rose struggled to breathe. Donna finally let go. "From the Doctor in me," Donna said.

Donna then went into the TARDIS, passing Shawn. "Close your mouth, Shawn. We don't want to take any flies back to our universe."

Shawn followed, as did the Doctor. "Goodbye, Rose. Bye, Jackie." He saw Rose still standing on the beach, shock and disappointment evident on her face. The Doctor closed the doors and leaned on a column.

Donna set the controls to take the three back home. "I thought we could try the planet Felspoon. Just because. What a good name, Felspoon! Apparently, it's got mountains that sway in the breeze. Mountains that move, can you imagine?"

"And how do you know that?" the Doctor asked.

"Because it's in your head. And if it's in your head, it's in mine!" Donna responded.

"And how does that feel?" the Doctor asked.

"Brilliant! Fantastic! Molto bene! Great big universe, packed into my brain! You know you could fix that chameleon circuit if you just tried hotbinding the fragment-links and superseding the binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary –" Donna gasped and Shawn ran to her. "I'm fine! Never mind, never mind Felspoon. Know who I'd like to meet? Charlie Chaplin! I bet he's great, Charlie Chaplin. Shall we do that? Shall we go and see Charlie Chaplin? Shall we? Charlie Chaplin? Charlie Chester, Charlie Brown, no, he's fiction, friction, fiction, fixing, mixing –"

"Donna!" Shawn cried. "What's happening?"

"There's never been a metacrisis like this before, Shawn," the Doctor explained.

"Because there can't be," Donna finished for him. "I want to stay, Doctor. I can't go back!"

"What do you mean?" Shawn asked. He looked at the Doctor. "Is there something you can do?"

"I can suppress the part of her that's me, but I will also have to suppress her memories of her time with me. All of it."

"She'll forget everything?"

"She'll forget meeting me and everything about me, you, the TARDIS, all our trips. Everything associated with me."

"You can't take that away from me!" Donna cried. "It's my choice, Doctor! I'd rather spend the next few hours knowing everything I know than spend the rest of a lifetime being who I was!"

"Doctor, I know I'm not in a position to say anything, but this should be her choice, shouldn't it?"

"Yes, it should be," the Doctor said, surprising Shawn. He walked over to Donna and put his hands on her face. "You should live the way you wish . . . but, too many people have died already because of the Daleks. Too many people have had their hearts broken. I'm sorry, Donna, I'm sorry, but I need to do this."

The Doctor applied pressure to Donna's head.

"No, no!" Donna cried.

"Doctor, please, stop!" Shawn yelled.

Seconds later, it was over. Donna slumped over, unconscious.

Shawn put his hands on her face. "I could have tried something."

"You couldn't have saved her, Shawn. There's nothing you could have done and there's nothing else that I could have done."

Seeing that Shawn had Donna, the Doctor set the controls to take Donna back home. The Doctor ran out to ring the doorbell and ran back to the TARDIS to help Shawn carry Donna out.

"Donna!" Wilf cried. "What happened?"

"Can you show us to her bedroom?" the Doctor asked.

The Doctor and Shawn put Donna in bed and watched her for a while before joining Wilf and Sylvia downstairs.

"She took my mind into her head and with that knowledge, she saved the universe," the Doctor told Wilf and Sylvia. Shawn could barely speak. "But, her brain couldn't handle that consciousness. It was burning her, killing her."

"She'll get better now?" Wilf asked.

"I had to wipe her mind completely. Every trace of me, or the TARDIS, Shawn, anything we did together, anywhere we went. It all had to go. It was the only way to save her."

"All those wonderful things she did . . ." Wilf said.

"I know," the Doctor replied. "That version of Donna is dead. Wilf, if she remembers, just for a second, she'll burn up. She'll die. You can't ever tell her anything. You can't mention me or any of it for the rest of her life."

"But the whole world's talking about it!" Sylvia said. "We traveled across space!"

"It'll just be a story," the Doctor replied. "One of those Donna Noble stories, where she missed it all again."

"But she was better with you!" Wilf claimed.

"Don't say that!" Sylvia said.

"But she was!"

"At least we remember that, you two, us two, and so many others. Two thousand years ago, a family worshipped Donna as a kind power who saved their lives when Mount Vesuvius erupted. Two thousand years in the future, a species called the Ood sang songs for Donna, praising her for helping free them from slavery. They remember her. And my friends and I, we will always remember that bright shining moment when she was the most important person in the whole wide universe."

"She still is," Sylvia said. "She's my daughter."

The Doctor looked at Shawn, then back at Sylvia and nodded.

Donna suddenly burst in. "I was asleep! On my bed! In my clothes! Like a flippin' kid! What d'you let me do that for?" She looked at the Doctor and Shawn. "Don't mind me. Donna."

"John Smith," the Doctor said.

"Daniel Wyatt," said Shawn.

Donna shook their hands but paid them little attention otherwise.

"They were just leaving," Sylvia said.

The Doctor and Shawn made their way out the door. Wilf saw them off.

"Bye then, Wilfred."

Wilf shook the Doctor's and Shawn's hands.

"I'll watch out for you, Doctor, for me and on her behalf. I won't tell her anything, just watch."

The Doctor nodded and went back to the TARDIS with Shawn. He immediately went to the console and started typing.

"What now?" Shawn asked.

"I'm sending a message to everyone to stay clear of Donna. And now . . . I need to check some information." The Doctor didn't look at Shawn. He heard a hint of anger and hatred in Shawn's voice.

A couple minutes passed and the Doctor set the TARDIS to the next destination.

"Come on, Shawn," the Doctor said when they arrived.

"Where are we, Doctor? I'd rather stay in the TARDIS."

"This is King's Grace Hospital. Forty-one years in the future. Please."

The Doctor and Shawn made their way into the hospital. The Doctor was first and quietly asked for directions before Shawn caught up. Then, they went to the third floor and knocked before entering a room. They saw an elderly woman surrounded by eight children and two adults.

"Another visitor!" the woman exclaimed. Shawn could tell immediately that it was Donna.

"You look familiar," Donna said. "Are you a doctor?"

"I'm more than that, Donna." The Doctor put his hands on Donna's face and she gasped.

"I . . . I remember, Doctor! I remember it all!" Donna laughed until she came to a realization. "But, if you're letting me remember, that means . . . I'm going to die soon."

"Cardiac arrest," the Doctor said. "In about two hours. The metacrisis would have eased over time, so the cardiac arrest will kill you first. By a tiny margin."

"I'll summon someone," one of the guests said.

"No, no. It's all right. If the Doctor says two hours, it will be two hours. It's all right. I've lived such a long time and had a great life. My work, my family . . . This is my second son, Doctor, and his wife. These are my grandchildren. I've burdened them with so many stories."

"And now you have more to tell, don't you? You can tell them about the time you saved the universe. You have so much to tell."

"I do. Will you stay with me while I do? Shawn?"

"Of course," Shawn said.

"What's two hours between old friends?" said the Doctor.

The Doctor and Shawn listened as Donna recounted her adventures with the Doctor and Shawn. Shawn was hearing some of it for the first time.

Two hours later, the Doctor led Shawn away from the Temple-Noble family so they could mourn privately. They went back to the TARDIS. The Doctor entered first and dashed to the console so the TARDIS would dematerialize, his eyes watery. Shawn closed the doors and stopped there. He stood there for a few seconds before leaning on the door and sliding down. He finally broke down, sobbing into his hands and knees.

The Doctor alternated between looking at Shawn and watching a console monitor. He thought giving Donna her memories back would be comforting, but watching her die was unbearable. He was slightly jealous at Shawn's ability to release his emotions so freely. The Doctor finally sat down by the console, figuring he wouldn't be able to help Shawn. He simply sat there, staring into space letting sadness sweep through him. Shawn continued to cry at the door. For a long time, his crying was the only sound in the TARDIS.

* * *

><p>Thank you for reading. The idea of the Doctor visiting Donna shortly before her death and restoring her memories was suggested by someone at Television Without Pity's forums. I just filled in the dialogue. The site has a entire nice subforum for the show.<p> 


	9. The Beast Below

**Who Lives and Who Dies**

As I mentioned in the first chapter, I'm making a change here. After the events of Journey's End, I didn't think the TARDIS would take Shawn to meet a second Doctor. Instead, she would opt to take Shawn elsewhere, so here's The Beast Below.

Chapter 9: The Beast Below

It seemed like the Doctor and Shawn were in the vortex for a few days, but Shawn wasn't completely sure because he had barely talked to the Doctor, and that's how he preferred it. Shawn decided that he didn't want to travel with the Doctor anymore, but he didn't want to resume his old life yet, either. He wasn't ready yet to resume his life at the 4400 Center or carry on like nothing happened. He couldn't go back yet. Shawn finally settled on staying in his room alone. Even though the Doctor was somewhere close by, Shawn felt comfort in having his own space away from everything.

Shawn heard the TARDIS land somewhere and he debated asking the Doctor about it, but the Doctor suddenly appeared at the door to his room.

"The TARDIS landed us somewhere random. Are you interested in seeing what's out there?"

"Doctor . . . "

"Aren't you a bit curious? We could be anywhere at any time. Let's not disappoint the TARDIS by staying here all day."

Shawn didn't respond.

"You need to get out a bit. Both of us do."

"All right," Shawn finally said. Mentally, he was too tired to argue.

The Doctor and Shawn walked into a marketplace.

"Are we in the past, Doctor?"

"Look up."

Shawn saw that he was standing under an arched glass ceiling. Through it, he saw stars and tall buildings. "Oh. Do you know where we are?"

"Starship UK."

"Is it a British fleet or something?"

"No, it's actually Britain itself. This _is_ the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland, in its entirety. Well, minus Scotland."

"The whole country?"

"Yup, in the 29th century. Solar flares were burning the Earth, so humanity set off to the stars to wait them out."

"But why does it look like this?" Shawn asked. "If they're advanced enough to build ships . . ."

"Well, that's what keeps humanity going, but life inside the ship went back to the basics. Bicycles, washing lines, wind-up street lamps. Secrets and shadows, lives in fear. Society bent out of shape, on the brink of collapse. It's a police state."

The Doctor and Shawn continued walking around. Shawn kept a noticeable distance from the Doctor, but the Doctor didn't mind.

"And something else is wrong," the Doctor observed. He approached a couple having a meal and squatted down so he could be eye-level with the food. He gazed at a glass of water.

"May we help you?" a diner said.

"No, sorry. There's a renegade dolphin around. I'm just keeping an eye out. Enjoy the rest of your meal. Come on, Shawn."

The Doctor and Shawn walked quickly to the engine room. They climbed down a ladder to get to the engine and the Doctor pressed an ear against a wall. "It can't be," he said as he scanned the area with his sonic screwdriver.

Shawn noticed a glass of water on the floor and approached it. The Doctor soon noticed and joined him. The Doctor lied down and stared at the glass.

"The impossible truth in a glass of water," a masked woman in a red cape and hood said, surprising Shawn.

Shawn darted up.

"Not many people see it but you do, don't you, Doctor?" the woman continued.

"You know me?" the Doctor asked.

"Keep your voice down," the woman warned. "They're everywhere. Tell me what you see in the glass."

"Do I see anything?" asked the Doctor rhetorically.

"Don't waste time. At the marketplace, you examined a glass of water, and then came straight to the engine room. Why did you do that?"

"I can't detect any engine vibration. A ship this size needs a big engine, and you'd feel a big engine." The Doctor opened a power box. "It doesn't make sense. These power couplings aren't connected. They're dummies."

The Doctor went to another wall and tapped it. "It's hollow. It's like there's no engine at all."

"And yet, we still move," the woman said. "We're moving in a spaceship that could never fly. There's a darkness at the heart of this nation. It threatens every one of us. I will need your help soon, Doctor." The woman began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" the Doctor asked

"I need to continue my investigation."

"You said you'll need my help. How will I find you? Who are you?"

"I am Liz 10. I will find you. In the meantime, keep your distance from the robed men and scanner booths. The next scan will take place within an hour."

The Doctor and Shawn eventually went back to the marketplace.

"We're just going to walk around until she wants you again?"

"I suppose we should. We know she can monitor us here."

No one spoke for a while.

"Police states are very good at hiding secrets," the Doctor said. "If Liz 10 wanted us to avoid the scanner booths, they might be a part of the secrets." He approached a thick square column with a screen and red lights. Similar columns were scattered throughout the area.

"If Liz 10 wanted us to avoid the scanner booths," Shawn said in a tired tone, "maybe we should avoid them."

"And miss the chance to examine what could be a key element in this mystery? Where's the fun in that?" The Doctor began scanning the column with his sonic screwdriver. "It's meant to read data. Data from a chip."

The red lights on the column started blinking.

"Did you do that?" Shawn asked.

"It wasn't me."

Shawn looked around. "They're all doing that."

"The scanning's started," the Doctor realized. "Now we should stay away."

Wide white beams emanated from all the columns. Shawn was caught in a beam, but the Doctor knelt down to avoid it.

"Warning: Missing chip. Unregistered individual," a computerized voice said from the column.

Shawn looked around and saw three robed men approaching him. The Doctor sprung up and grabbed Shawn, leading him in retreat. The two sprinted down the marketplace with the robed men chasing them. Columns that scanned the area along the way kept on declaring warnings about the missing chips for both the Doctor and Shawn.

Another group of robed men appeared in front of the Doctor and Shawn and the others caught up and surrounded the two.

"Explain!" a robed man said. "Why do you lack the data chip?"

"We were never implanted," the Doctor said.

"That is impossible. Removal of the data chips is an intolerable offense."

The robed men grabbed the Doctor and Shawn with metal arms and hands and dragged them away.

"What are you doing?" Shawn asked them.

"Where are you taking us?" the Doctor demanded.

Other people took quick glances at the commotion, but then quietly resumed their day.

The robed men said nothing as they all entered a small room. A wall then slid up, revealing a shaft through which the robed men pushed the Doctor and Shawn.

The fall down took several seconds. Shawn wanted to scream, but couldn't get it out. He eventually landed on a soft and wet rubbery surface with the Doctor.

"Ugh, this stinks!" Shawn commented. "Where do you think we are?"

"The heart of the ship, I reckon." The Doctor looked around. "There's organic food refuse all around us. They must have come from other shafts."

The Doctor and Shawn heard a moaning.

"Oh . . ." the Doctor said.

"We're not alone," Shawn realized.

"That kind of depends on your perspective."

"What do you mean?"

"We're the only ones in here, but . . . we're in something's mouth."

"What?"

"We're standing on a tongue." The Doctor took out his screwdriver. "And there are the teeth . . ."

"So how do we get it to open its mouth?" Shawn asked. He approached the teeth.

"No, don't move!"

"What's wrong?"

"Too late, the swallow reflex has started!"

The tongue started to move and the Doctor and Shawn fell. The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver at the roof.

"I'm vibrating the chemo-receptors!" the Doctor cried to Shawn.

"What will that do?"

"Eject us!"

"Like throwing up?"

The creature growled and a wave of bile approached the Doctor and Shawn.

"Oh, gross!" Shawn exclaimed.

"Brace yourself!"

The wave then swept the Doctor and Shawn out of the creature's mouth into another part of the starship.

The Doctor and Shawn examined themselves, oblivious to the fact that they were met by three more robed men.

"The old-fashioned route is in order, then," one of the men said.

Surprised, the Doctor and Shawn tried to run again, but were blocked. The robed men took the Doctor and Shawn to the dungeon and an old man greeted them.

"So you are the ones who removed your data chips – Doctor! You're the Doctor!"

"I am."

"I'm so sorry, I should have followed up as soon as I heard you were here. I should have realized it was you and your companion who didn't have the chips."

"Kinneon!" a voice suddenly cried. "So this is where you've been hiding today."

"Liz 10!" the Doctor cried.

Kinneon turned to the Doctor. "No matter who you are and what your history is with the royal family, you will address the queen with the decorum she deserves!"

"Elizabeth . . . the Tenth," the Doctor realized.

"That's right, I'm the queen. Basically, I rule, though I'm not being treated as if I do. Kinneon, why have I been brought down here?"

"You were attempting to check the family archives about the engines," Kinneon responded.

"It is my right and my responsibility!"

"Your majesty, the engines never needed to work," the Doctor said. "Starship UK is situated on a giant creature. That's what's responsible for the movement."

"What kind of creature?"

"I don't know."

"Kinneon?"

"It's a star whale, ma'am. We believe it's the last of its kind."

The Doctor walked to a railing and looked down. "Is that its brain?"

Shawn and Liz joined the Doctor. They saw a device that shocked the brain with repeated energy bursts.

"Is this how you enslave or steer it?" the Doctor asked angrily.

"What do you mean?" Liz asked. "Are we torturing it?"

The Doctor ran to another part of the structure and pulled out a grate. "Its sound is normally above the range of human hearing, I reckon, but I can change that."

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and soon everyone heard the creature's call.

"Doctor, stop it!" Shawn said.

The Doctor looked around. "Those feelers, they are parts of the whale?"

"This is unacceptable!" Liz said. "Who authorized this?"

"The highest authority, ma'am" Kinneon answered.

"I am the highest authority."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Release this creature now!"

Kinneon moved to a computer. "You need to see this first, ma'am."

Liz appeared on the screen. "If you are watching this . . . If I am watching this, then I have found my way to the dungeon. The creature you are looking at is called a star whale. Once, there were millions of them. They lived in the depths of space and kindly guided the early space travelers through the asteroid belts. We believe this one is the last of its kind. And what we have done to it breaks my heart. The Earth was burning from solar flares. Every other nation had fled to the skies. Our children screamed as the skies grew hotter. And then it came, like a miracle. We trapped it, we built our ship around it, and we rode on its back to safety. It has been transporting us ever since at the cost of its freedom, its peace. If you wish our voyage to continue, then you must take retcon. Formula 4.3.102 was designed for you for this purpose. Forget what you have learned and be again the heart of this nation, untainted. If not, release the whale. Your reign will end and our ship will disintegrate. I hope I keep the strength to keep on making the right decision." The video then vanished.

"These were your orders, ma'am, and all of us work with the Curbishley System to obey you."

Liz 10 stood without reaction.

"Shall I prepare the retcon for you?" Kinneon asked.

Children suddenly burst into the room, running.

"Children!" Kinneon called. "The queen is here! Go back to the other room at once!"

The children then ran away, except a few, though no one noticed.

"You keep kids here?" Shawn asked.

"They are most likely to permanently resist the retcon so a disproportionate number of those fed to the whale are children, but it never eats them. Never."

"This . . . how could I have let this happen?" Liz asked.

"You did what you needed to save your subjects," Kinneon responded.

Liz hung her head and started to pace around.

The Doctor looked at Shawn and walked over to an instrument panel.

"What are you doing, Doctor?"

"There's a third option, Liz. I can destroy the brain of this beautiful and innocent creature so that it can continue supporting this country without feeling any more pain. I . . . there's no other choice."

The Doctor continued working and Shawn noticed a few children playing with one of the whale's feelers. "If Donna was here, she'd suggest the whale came voluntarily."

The Doctor stopped. "What?"

"Look at the children. The whale's playing with them and wouldn't eat them. Donna would probably see that and think the whale came to save the screaming children. She has such a – she _had_ such a high opinion of you. The whale would probably remind her of you."

The Doctor looked at Liz, who took a second to grasp Shawn's words.

"He could be right," Liz said.

"It's a big chance to take," the Doctor replied.

"I know."

"Your majesty?" the Doctor asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Kinneon," Liz finally said. "Release the whale. Now."

Kinneon obeyed the order and the entire ship shook violently.

"No!" Liz cried.

Suddenly, the shaking stopped.

"Kinneon?" Liz asked.

"We've increased speed!" Kinneon remarked.

"Shawn was right. It came to help," the Doctor said. "And now that it's not in pain anymore, it can go faster."

"Why didn't we consider this?" Liz asked. She looked at the Doctor. "It was old and completely alone. It couldn't stand by and let people suffer. After all I've heard, I should have considered this."

Liz asked the Doctor to stay for a meal, but he decided to leave instead. He walked slowly back to the TARDIS with Shawn.

"You haven't said much today," the Doctor said.

"It feels weird doing this when Donna isn't. She told me she wanted to travel with you for the rest of her life."

"I know. Shawn, I miss her too. She was my best friend."

The two continued walking.

"Shawn, if you're willing, I'd be grateful if you stayed just for a little while longer. I'd like you to stay."

"Yeah, okay," Shawn replied after taking some time to think about it. The Doctor noticed the hesitation and uncertainty in Shawn's voice, but was glad that Shawn was at least willing to give everything one more shot.

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading. The specials will resume with The Planet of the Dead next.<p> 


	10. Planet of the Dead

Chapter 10: Planet of the Dead

"I'd be surprised if you manage to get us back into the palace grounds," Shawn said.

The Doctor and Shawn were walking out of a candy shop eating chocolate when an alarm went off as double beeps.

"Oh, what's this?" the Doctor asked.

He handed his chocolate to Shawn and began to dig around in his pockets.

"Hold this, would you please?" the Doctor said as he handed over something. "And this, and this. This, too. Ah! Here we go!"

"What's that?" Shawn asked.

The Doctor frowned. "It's picking up something strange." The Doctor reclaimed his belongings from Shawn.

"In London?"

"That could be bad," the Doctor said. "It's . . . gone. Come on, let's move around, see if it will pick something up again."

The two walked around and then boarded a double decker bus. The Doctor used his psychic paper to grant entry and the two sat two rows behind a woman in a leather jacket. Soon after the bus took off, Shawn heard sirens.

"Is that coming from behind us?" Shawn asked. "Why isn't he pulling over to the side?"

The alarm went off again as pairs of beeps. "Oh, we've got excitation again," the Doctor said. "I'm picking up something very strange."

Shawn noticed a weird look from the other side as the Doctor continued examining the readings.

"Doctor, maybe you should be a little more inconspicuous with the alien stuff," Shawn suggested.

"This is London, Shawn. They've all seen weirder things."

"So what kind of strange stuff is that thing detecting?

"A possible hole in reality. It's very small. If this thing picks up rhondium particles, it will go around. That'll help determine . . . oh, it's going around. And around!"

The dish on the device started spinning faster and a sound started coming out.

"Doctor, you're going to attract a lot of attention," Shawn said.

Part of the device exploded.

"What is that?" the woman in front asked. "Can't you turn that thing off?"

"Sorry," the Doctor said as he walked up a bit. He turned around in alarm. "What was your name?"

"Christina."

"Christina, everyone, hold on tight!"

The bus suddenly shook violently and several passengers began screaming. Glass and sparks flew around.

"What's going on?" Shawn thought he heard someone cry.

A bright white light started blinding everyone and soon, it was dark again. The shaking finally stopped and the passengers looked around in confusion. Through the smoke, they saw a desert all around them.

"Is anyone hurt?" Shawn asked. No one replied.

The Doctor slowly got up and stepped out, followed by Shawn.

"End of the line," the Doctor said. "Call it a hunch, but I think we've gone a little bit further than Brixton."

Several passengers also followed.

The Doctor distanced himself from the others to get a close look at the sand, though Shawn and Christina joined him.

"Doctor, there are three suns here," Shawn said.

"Now what's your name?" Christina asked.

"I'm Shawn Farrell."

"And you? Doctor what?"

"Just the Doctor," the Doctor responded.

"Surname?"

"The Doctor."

"You're called 'The Doctor?'"

"Yeah."

"That's not a name, that's a psychological condition."

Christina sighed. She took off her jacket and put on sunglasses. "Ready for every emergency."

The Doctor looked up, removed his glasses, and tinted them with his sonic screwdriver. "Me too." He went back to the sand. "Funny sort of sand, this. There's a trace of something else." The Doctor tasted the sand.

Shawn groaned in disgust.

"Lagch lagch lagch lagch lagch," the Doctor said. "Lagch, lagch. Blah, that's not good."

"It's sand," Christina said.

"No, it tastes like . . . Never mind." The Doctor stood up.

"What is it, what's wrong?" Christina asked.

"Hold on a minute," a guy said, approaching while pointing a finger. "I saw you, mate! You had that thing, that machine. Did you make this happen?"

Shawn exhaled and looked at the Doctor. "At least you're already out of it."

"If you must know," the Doctor said. "I was tracking a hole in the fabric of reality. Call it a hobby. But it was a tiny little hole, no danger to anyone. Suddenly it gets big, and we drive right through it."

"But then where is it?" the bus driver asked. "There's nothing, there's just sand!"

"All right," the Doctor said. He walked towards the back of the bus with the others following. "If you want proof . . . " he took some sand and threw it in the air. A massive and clear swirl emerged and then disappeared. "We came through that."

"What's that?" Christina asked.

"A door," the Doctor responded. "A door in space."

"So what you're saying is, on the other side of that is home?" the bus driver asked. "We can get to London through there?"

"The bus came through, but we can't," the Doctor answered.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" the driver said as he approached the hole.

"Oh, no, don't," the Doctor warned. He tried to catch up.

"I'm going home, mate!" The bus driver proceeded through, but burned instantly into a skeleton, screaming.

Shawn turned to the Doctor in shock.

"He was a skeleton, man!" someone said. "He was bones, just bones!"

The Doctor walked to the bus. "It was the bus. Look at the damage. That was the bus protecting us. Great big box of metal."

"Rather like a Faraday cage?" Christina asked.

"Like in a thunderstorm, yeah?" someone said. He was holding a crying woman. "Safest place is inside a car, cos the metal conducts the lightning right through. We did it in school."

"But if we can only travel back inside the bus . . ." Christina said. "A Faraday cage needs to be closed. That thing's been ripped wide open."

"Slightly different dynamics with a wormhole," explained the Doctor. "There's enough metal to make it work, I think. I hope."

"Then we have to drive five tons of bus, which is currently buried in the sand, and we've got nothing but our bare hands. Correct?" Christina asked.

"How are we going to manage that?" Shawn asked.

"With discipline," Christina answered. "And with a leader."

"Yes, at last, thank you, so . . ." the Doctor began.

"Well, thank goodness you've got me!" Christina interrupted. "Everyone do exactly as I say! Inside the bus immediately!"

Shawn smiled in amusement.

"Is it safe in there?" one of the young men asked.

"I don't think anything's safe any more," Christina answered. "But if it's a choice between baking in there or roasting out here, I'd say baking is slower. Come on! All of you. Right now! And you, the Doctor."

"Yes, ma'am," the Doctor replied.

Christina got everyone back in and seated. She stood at the front. " . . . Point five, the crucial thing is, do not panic. Quite apart from anything else, the smell of sweat inside this thing is reaching atrocious levels. We don't need to add any more. Point six. Team identification. Names. I'm Christina. This man is apparently the Doctor. That's Shawn Farrell. And you?"

"Nathan."

"I'm Barclay."

"Angela. Angela Whitaker."

"My name's Louis, everyone calls me Lou. And this is Carmen."

"Excellent. Memorize those names," Christina told everyone. "There might be a test. Point seven, assessment and application of knowledge. Over to you, the Doctor."

"I thought you were in charge," the Doctor said.

"I am. And a good leader utilizes her strengths. You seem to be the brainbox. So, start boxing."

The Doctor situated himself on the back of his seat. "Right. So, the wormhole. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was just an accident."

"No, it wasn't," Carmen interrupted. "That thing, the doorway. Someone made it. For a reason."

"How do you know?" the Doctor asked.

"She's got a gift," Lou explained. "Ever since she was a little girl, she can just . . . tell things. We do the lottery, twice a week."

"You don't look like millionaires," Christina said.

"No, but we win ten pounds. Every week, twice a week, ten pounds. Don't tell me that's not a gift!"

"Tell me, Carmen," the Doctor said. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Three. Four," Carmen correctly answered. She then looked at Shawn. "I'm not a 4400."

"Low level psychic ability," the Doctor said, "exacerbated by an alien sun."

"Three suns," Shawn corrected.

"Right. Three. What can you see, Carmen? Tell me, what's out there?"

"Something . . . Something is coming. Riding on the wind. And shining."

"What is it?" the Doctor asked.

"Death. Death is coming."

"We're going to die," Angela said, crying.

"I knew it man," Barclay said. "I said so."

"We can't die out here. No one's gonna find us," Nathan worried.

"That isn't exactly helping," Christina said.

"Shut up, we're not your soldiers," Barclay countered.

"It's not doing any good," said Nathan.

"You're upsetting her. Be quiet," Lou requested.

"Will we be bones, like the bus driver?" Nathan asked.

"Stop whimpering," Christina said "All of you!"

"All right now," the Doctor finally said. "Stop it, everyone stop it!"

Everyone silenced themselves except for Angela, who was still crying. The Doctor went to her.

"Angela, look at me. Angela, answer me one question, Angela. That's it, at me, at me. There we go, Angela. Just answer me one thing. When you got on this bus, where were you going?"

"Doesn't matter now, does it?" Angel asked.

"Just answer the question," the Doctor requested.

"Just home."

"And what's home?"

"Me, and Mike and Suzanne. That's my daughter. She's 18."

"Suzanne. Good," the Doctor said. He turned to Barclay. "What about you?"

"Dunno. Going round Tina's," Barclay answered.

"Girlfriend?"

"Not yet." Barclay gave a sly smile.

"Good boy," the Doctor said. "What about you, Nathan?"

"Bit strapped for cash. I lost my job last week. I was gonna stay in. Watch TV."

"Brilliant. And you two?"

"I was going to cook," Lou answered.

"It's his turn tonight," Carmen explained. "Then I clear up."

"What's for tea?" the Doctor asked.

"Chops," Lou answered. "Nice couple of chops and gravy. Nothing special."

"That sounds great," Shawn finally said. "I haven't had normal Earth food in a while, except for the Easter chocolate."

"You some sort of alien?" Barclay asked.

"No, I've just been traveling a lot lately."

"Christina? What were you doing?" the Doctor asked.

"I was going . . . so far away."

"Far away. Chops and gravy," the Doctor summarized. "Watching TV. Mike and Suzanne and poor, old Tina."

"Hey!" Barclay protested.

"And you two?" Christina asked.

"Same as you, kind of," Shawn answered.

"The planet out there," the Doctor continued. "It's just three suns, a wormhole, and sand. It's nothing compared to everything and everyone waiting for you back home. Think about food and home and people. Hold on to that. We are going to get out of here. We're going home. We just need to work together and get this thing back through the hole. So, we need seat cushions! Nathan, Barclay, I need seat cushions!" The Doctor then ran out, followed by Shawn and Christina. He checked the tires.

"Here we go!" Barclay soon said. He emerged from the bus with a seat cushion, as did Nathan.

"That's my boys!" the Doctor exclaimed. "We lay a flat surface between the bus and the wormhole, like duckboards, and reverse into it!"

"Let some air out of the tires," Christina suggested. "Just a little bit. Spreads the weight of the bus, gives you more grip."

"Oh, that's good!" the Doctor said.

"Holidays in the Kalahari," Christina explained.

"Yeah, but those wheels go deeeeeeep," Barclay said.

"Then start digging," Christina said.

"With what?"

"With this," Christina replied. She reached into her bag and pulled out a folded shovel.

The Doctor took the shovel, unfolded it, and passed it to Barclay.

"Got anything else in there?" the Doctor asked.

"Try that," Christina said as she pulled out a small axe and gave it to Nathan. "Might help with the seats."

Shawn laughed out loud and Christina winked at him.

"Thanks!" Nathan said.

"I can't find the keys," Angela yelled from the driver's seat.

"Buses don't have keys," the Doctor said as he went to Angela. "There's a master switch, one button for start, the other one for stop, yeah?"

"Right. Hold on, oh, I've got it," Angela said. She flipped a switch. "Here we go, hold tight, ding ding!"

The engine sputtered, then died.

The Doctor checked the engine. "Oh! Never mind losing half the top deck, you know what's worse? Sand. Lots of little grains. It's clogged up."

"Anyone know mechanics?" Christina asked.

"Me," Barclay answered. "I did a two-week NVQ at the garage. Never finished it, but . . . "

"Off you go, then," the Doctor said. "Try stripping the air filter, fast as you can. Back in two ticks." The Doctor headed off.

"Bathroom break or is something out there?" Shawn asked.

"I just want a closer look at something," the Doctor said. He noticed Christina walking with them.

"You have the answers. I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"It's easier if you left that backpack behind," the Doctor said.

"Where I go, it goes," Christina responded.

"A backpack with a spade and an axe. Christina, who's going so far away, possibly chased by sirens. Who are you?"

"You can talk," Christina countered. "Let's just say we're two equal mysteries. And you, Shawn? What's your story?"

"I'm just traveling with the Doctor."

"You're a 4400, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"What's your special power?"

"I heal other people."

"That's very nice," Christina responded genuinely. "So, tell me. If Carmen's right, if that wormhole's not an accident, then what is it? Has someone done this on purpose?"

"I don't know," the Doctor responded. "But every single instinct of mine is telling me to get off this planet, right now."

"And do you think we can?" Christina asked.

"I live in hope."

"That must be nice. It's Christina de Souza, by the way. To be precise, Lady Christina de Souza." She held out her hand and the Doctor shook it. "Now, that device you were carrying, and your knowledge, the way you stride around this place . . ."

"Yeah?"

"It's like you're not quite . . . are you a 4400 too?"

"Nope. Anyway! Come on! Allons-y!"

"Oui, mais pas si nous allons vers un cauchemar," Christina said.

"Oh, I don't like the look of that," the Doctor said.

"Storm clouds," Christina announced. "Must be hundreds of miles away."

"It's heading here," Shawn said.

"If that's a sandstorm, we'll get ripped to shreds," Christina worried.

"It's a storm," the Doctor said. "Who says it's sand? Let's get back to the others."

The three ran back to the bus.

"Do either you of have a mobile with you?" the Doctor asked as he approached the bus.

"I have mine on the bus," Barclay responded.

The Doctor ran in. "Where is it?"

"There, on the seat."

The Doctor picked up the phone and aimed his sonic screwdriver at it.

"You're hardly going to get a signal. We're on another planet!" Christina said.

"Oh, just watch me. Right, now, bit of hush, thank you. Gotta remember the number, very important number," the Doctor said as he dialed.

"Hello, Pizza Geronimo?" someone on the phone said.

The Doctor hung up. "And again! Ah! 7-6, not 6-7."

"This is the Unified Intelligence Taskforce. Please select one of the following four options," a voice said. "If you want to . . . "

"Oh, I hate these things!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"No, if you keep your finger pressed on zero, you get through to a real person," Angela said. "I saw it on Watchdog!"

"Thank you, Angela!" The Doctor pressed 0 and sat down.

"UNIT helpline, which department would you like?" a woman said.

"Listen, it's the Doctor. It's me. Are you all aware of the wormhole in London? A bus gone missing?"

"Yes, Doctor. At the tunnel."

"I need to talk to the person on site right now."

"I'll transfer you."

The passengers waited.

"This is UNIT."

"Hello. This is the Doctor. Are you at the London tunnel with the wormhole?"

"Yes, sir."

"I need to talk to whoever's in charge."

"Right away, sir."

The passengers heard the man transfer the phone to someone else. "Captain! Urgent call, ma'am, relayed direct from HQ."

"Who is it?"

"Itʼs him, maʼam. It's the Doctor."

"Doctor. This is Captain Erisa Magambo. Might I say, sir, it's an honor."

"Did you just salute?" the Doctor asked.

"No . . ." Erisa answered after a beat.

"Erisa, it's about the bus. HQ said you're at the tunnel, yeah?"

"And where are you?" Erisa asked.

"I'm on the bus. But apart from that, not a clue, except it's very pretty and pretty dangerous."

"A body came through here. Have you sustained any more fatalities?"

"No, and we're not going to. But I'm stuck. I haven't got the TARDIS, and I need to analyze that wormhole."

"We have a scientific advisor on site, Dr. Malcolm Taylor. Just the man you need. He's a genius."

"Oh, is he? We'll see about that. Can I speak with him?"

"Of course, Doctor."

"You really are just the Doctor?" Angela asked as the passengers waited.

"Yup, that's me."

"Here's the Doctor," they heard Erisa said.

"No, I'm all right now, thanks. It was just a bit of a sore throat. Although I've got to be honest, a cup of tea might be nice."

"It's the Doctor."

"Do you mean . . . 'the Doctor' Doctor?" Malcolm responded after a couple seconds.

"I know," Erisa said. "We all want to meet him one day, but we all know what that day will bring."

"I can hear everything you're saying," the Doctor said.

Shawn laughed and the Doctor threw him a look.

"Hello, Doctor? Oh, my goodness!" Malcolm exclaimed.

"Yes, I am. Hello, Malcolm!"

"The Doctor! Cor blimey. I can't believe I'm actually speaking to you! I mean, I've read all the files!"

"Really? What was your favorite, the giant robot? No, no, hold on, let's sort out that wormhole. Excuse me." The Doctor went to the driver's seat. "Malcolm, something's not making sense here. I've got a storm and a wormhole, and I can't help thinking there's a connection. I need a complete full-range analysis of that wormhole, the whole thing."

"I've probably got the wrong idea, but I've wired up an integrator," Malcolm said. "I thought it could measure the energy signature."

"No, that'll never work. Just listen to me."

"It's quite extraordinary, though! I'm measuring an oscillation of 15 Malcolms per second."

"Fifteen what?"

"Fifteen Malcolms. It's my own little term. A wavelength parcel of ten kilohertz operating in four dimensions equals one Malcolm."

"You named a unit of measurement after yourself?"

"It didn't do Mr. Watt any harm. Furthermore, 100 Malcolms equals a Bernard."

"And who's that, your dad?"

"Don't be ridiculous, that's Quatermass."

"Right. Fine. But before I die of old age, which in my case would be quite an achievement, so congratulations on that, is there anyone else I can talk to?"

"No, no, no, no, but listen! I set the scanner to register what it can't detect and inverted the image."

"You did what?"

"Is that wrong?"

"No, Malcolm, that's brilliant! So you can actually measure the wormhole. Okay, I admit, that is genius!" the Doctor said. "Now, run a capacity scan. I need a full report. Call me back when you've done it. And Malcolm? You're really great."

The Doctor charged out of the bus. "Barclay, I'm holding on to this."

Shawn and Christina followed. They all went to the top of a dune.

The Doctor held up Barclay's phone. "Send this back to Earth, see if Malcolm can analyze the storm."

"There's something in those clouds, something shining. Look . . ." Christina said.

"Like metal," the Doctor observed.

"Why would there be metal in a storm?" Christina asked.

The Doctor continued on the phone. A chirruping sound began.

"Did you hear something?" Christina asked.

"I heard it," Shawn answered.

"Hold on," the Doctor said.

Christina looked around. "Oh . . ."

Shawn looked to his left with Christina.

"Doctor," Shawn said.

"Just one more . . ."

"Doctor!" Shawn repeated.

"What is – Oh . . ."

A being with an insect-like head approached the Doctor, Shawn, and Christina with a gun. It kept on chirruping and the Doctor responded in same.

"I told it to wait," the Doctor explained.

"You speak the language?" Christina asked.

"I speak every language." The Doctor continued communicating. "Now I've begged for mercy."

The being motioned with its gun.

"It's telling us to move," Christina said.

"Ooh, you're learning!" the Doctor exclaimed.

The four walked towards a broken ship.

"These fly things, they must be responsible. They brought us here," Christina suggested.

"No, no, no, no, no! Look at the ship. It's a wreck. They crashed, just like us."

They made their way to the interior.

"But this place is freezing!" Christina complained.

"The hull's made of Photafine steel. Turns cold when it's hot. Boiling desert outside, freezing ship inside. Since I met you, Christina, we've been through all the extremes!"

"That's how I like things. Extreme."

Shawn chuckled quietly.

"Having a good day, Shawn?" the Doctor asked.

"It's probably just a stage of grief."

"Oh, this is beautiful!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Intact, it must have been magnificent. A proper streamlined deep-spacer!"

"I'll remember that as I'm being slowly tortured: At least I'm bleeding on the floor of a really well-designed spaceship!"

A second creature appeared and it activated a purple button on its shirt.

"Oh, right, good, yes, hello!" the Doctor said. "That's a telepathic translator. He can understand us."

"Still sounds like gibberish to me," Christina said.

"That's what I said, he can understand us. Doesn't work the other way round. Okay . . . 'You will suffer for your crimes.' Et cetera. 'You have committed an act of violence against the Tritovore race.' Tritovores; they're called Tritovores. 'You came here in the 200 to destroy us.' Sorry, what's the 200?"

"It's the bus," Christina answered. "Number 200."

"Oh!" the Doctor said. "No, look, I think you're making the same mistake Christina did. I'm the Doctor, by the way. This is Shawn. This is Christina, the Honorable Lady Christina, at least I hope she's honorable! But we got pulled through that wormhole. The 200 doesn't look like that normally. It's broken, just the same as you."

The Tritovores talked to each other and then lowered their guns.

"That's a relief," Shawn said quietly.

"What are they doing?" Christina asked.

"They believe me," the Doctor answered.

"What, as simple as that?"

"I've got a very honest face. And the translator says I'm telling the truth. Plus, the face. Right! So, first things first. There's a very strange storm heading our way. Can you send out a probe?" the Doctor asked after running to a control station.

The Tritovores responded.

"Ah, they've lost power. Hmm, the crash knocked the mainline crystallography out of synch. But if I can jiggle it back . . ." the Doctor said. He kicked a part of the machine and the power returned. "I thank you . . . Yes, I am . . . Frequently . . . Okey-doke, let's launch that probe," he said to the Tritovores. He hit a switch. "Off it goes. Now, do you have any records of this planet so we can learn more about it?"

The Doctor, Shawn, and Christina sat in front of a screen that showed a nebula.

"The Scorpion Nebula. We're on the other side of the universe. Just what you wanted, Christina."

The image zoomed in.

"San Helios," the Doctor said.

"That's us?" Christina asked. "We're on another world."

"We have been for quite a while," the Doctor said.

"I know, but seeing it like that . . . "

"It's good, isn't it?"

"Wonderful."

The Tritovores began to speak and the Doctor translated.

"The Tritovores were going to trade with San Helios. Population of one hundred billion. Plenty of waste matter for them to absorb."

"By waste matter, you mean . . .?" Christina asked.

"They feed off what others leave behind. From their . . ."

"We got it," Shawn said.

"Remind me never to kiss them," Christina said.

The screen showed a beautiful and advanced city.

"San Helios City," the Doctor said.

"That's amazing. But you've seen this sort of thing before, haven't you?"

"Thousands of times."

"Where are you two from?" Christina asked.

"I'm from Seattle . . ."

"Gallifrey, in the constellation Kasterborous."

"You're an alien?"

"Yeah. But you don't have to kiss me either."

"So where is that city?" Shawn asked. "Maybe they can at least protect us from the storm."

"We're there right now," the Doctor said.

"Was that image ancient history then?" Christina asked.

"That image was taken last year."

"How did that become a desert in only one year?" Shawn asked.

"I said there was something in the sand. The city, the oceans, the mountains, the wildlife and 100 billion people, turned to sand. All those voices in Carmen's head. She's hearing them die."

"This is all dead people?" Shawn asked.

"I've got it in my hair. That's disgusting!" Christina cried.

"Something destroyed the whole of San Helios," the Doctor said.

"Yes, but in my hair!"

Barclay's phone rang and the Doctor answered.

"Malcolm! Tell me the bad news!"

"Oh, you are clever! It _is_ bad news! It's the wormhole, Doctor. It's getting bigger! We've gone way past 100 Bernards. I haven't invented a name for that."

"How can it get bigger by itself?" the Doctor asked.

"Well, that's why I'm phoning! You'll work it out, if I know you, sir."

"Doctor, we estimate the circumference of your invisible wormhole is now four miles," Erisa said, "heading upwards. I've grounded all flights above London. We can't risk anyone else falling through."

"Good work, both of you."

"But I have to know," Erisa said. "Does that wormhole constitute a danger to this planet?"

The phone beeped twice.

"Oh, sorry, call waiting, gotta go," the Doctor said. He switched to another caller. "Yep?"

"Doctor, it's Nathan. We got those duckboard things down, but . . ."

"Whatʼs happened?" the Doctor asked.

"We kept on turning the engine, but . . . We're out of petrol. Used it all up. Even if we can get those wheels out . . . This bus is never going to move."

Shawn looked at the Doctor, concerned. The Doctor lowered the phone.

"What is it, what's wrong?" Christina asked. "Doctor, tell me."

"You said we were going home," Nathan continued. "Doctor? Are you still there?"

"Doctor, tell me, what did he say?" Christina asked again.

There was a series of beeps. The Tritovores went to a control and spoke to the Doctor.

"It's the probe. It's reached the storm," the Doctor explained.

"And what's he saying?" Christina asked.

"It's not a storm."

Everyone looked at the screen and saw a massive horde of creatures that looked like metal stingrays.

"It's a swarm," Christina said.

"There're so many," Shawn added.

"There could be billions out there," said the Doctor.

One of the creatures flew into the probe and ate it, cutting transmission.

"Ah!" the Doctor exclaimed. "We've lost the probe. I think it got eaten. Everything on this planet gets eaten."

"How far away is that swarm?" Christina asked.

"Hundred miles. But at that speed, it'll be here in twenty minutes."

A Tritovore said something to the Doctor.

"No, they're not just coming for us. They want the wormhole," the Doctor explained.

"They're heading for Earth!" Christina said.

"Show the analysis," the Doctor requested.

An image of one of the creatures came up.

"Incredible! They swarm out of a wormhole, strip the planet bare, then move on to the next world, start the life cycle all over again," said the Doctor.

"So, they make the wormholes?" Christina asked.

"They must have," the Doctor responded.

"But how? They don't exactly look like technicians. And if the wormhole belongs to them, why are they 100 miles away?"

"Because they need to be?" the Doctor offered. "No. That's bonkers. Hang on! Yes! Oh! Do you see? Billions of them, flying in formation, all around the planet, round and round and round, faster and faster and faster, till they generate a rupture in space! The speed of them, and the numbers, and the size, all of that rips the wormhole into existence!"

"And the wormhole's getting bigger?" Christina asked.

"Because they're getting closer!"

"Their metal skin protects them, doesn't it?" Shawn asked.

"You're right! They've got bones of metal! They eat metal, and extrude it into the exoskeleton! So their velocity makes the wormhole, then their body makes it safe! Perfect design!"

Christina got up and paced around. "Doctor, you're missing the obvious. We came here through the wormhole, yes? But our Tritovore friends didn't. They came here to trade with San Helios. Therefore, the question is, why did they crash?"

"Ah, good question! What a team! Like she said, why did you crash?"

A Tritovore responded and ran off.

"Let's follow!" the Doctor said. They came across a hole.

"Oh, yes. Gravity well, look," the Doctor said. "Goes all the way down to the engine. So what happened?"

The Tritovore answered.

"He says the drive system stalled. Ten miles up, they fell out of the sky. But what caused that?"

The Tritovore shrugged.

"I can understand that," Shawn said.

"Wait a minute," the Doctor said. "That's a crystal nucleus down there, yes? It looks like it survived the crash. If the crystal's intact, it'd work better than diesel!"

"You can use it to move the bus?" Christina asked.

"I think so. The spaceship's a write-off, but the 200's small enough."

"How do you use a crystal to power a bus?" Shawn asked.

"In a super-clever outer-spacey way, just trust me! There's the crystal! It's fallen to the bottom of the well," the Doctor noticed on a screen. "Have you got access shafts? . . . All frozen? Maybe I can open them! Aaah! Internal comms, put that on," the Doctor said as he gave Shawn an earpiece and ran for a door. "You two stay here, keep an eye on the shaft. Tell me if anything happens."

Christina edged towards the well, sat down, and went through her bag.

"What else do you have in there?" Shawn asked.

"Something that will help us." She slowly put on a harness and her hair up as the Doctor spoke to Shawn.

"If I can use that sunlight to start the automatic maintenance . . . Shawn?"

"Yeah?"

"If you see a panel opening in that shaft, let me know."

"I don't think so, Doctor," Shawn replied, half-distracted by Christina.

"Anything now?"

"Yes . . . yes."

"Great! What do you see?"

"A screen with two lines I can't read. There's also a red button and a tiny switch."

"Flip that switch."

"Actually, Doctor, I think Christina's got something else in mind."

"What?"

"She's going to drop into the well."

The Doctor suddenly ran back to the well just in time to see Christina drop. He used his sonic screwdriver to stop her descent.

"That's better," the Doctor said.

"I decide when I stop, thank you," remarked Christina.

"You're about to hit the security grid. Look!"

"Excellent. So what do I do?"

"Try the big red button."

"Well done!"

"Now come back up! I can do that."

"Oh, don't you wish?" Christina said as she continued her descent.

"Slowly!"

"Yes, sir."

"Quite the mystery, aren't you? Lady Christina de Souza. Carrying a winch in her bag."

"No stranger than you, spaceman."

"Probably not."

"Did you just confirm that you're a spaceman? Do you zoom around in a rocket?"

"Well, a blue box," the Doctor said as he looked through Christina's bag. "I've traveled to many places and times. World War One, creation of the universe, end of the universe, the war between Japan and China, and the court of King Athelstan. I don't remember you being there, so what are you doing with this?"

"Excuse me, a gentleman never goes through a lady's possessions."

"It's the Cup of Athelstan. Given to the first King of Britain from Hywel, King of the Welsh. But it's been held in the International Gallery for 200 years, which makes you, Lady Christina, a thief."

"I like to think I liberated it," Christina said.

"Don't tell me you need the money."

"Daddy lost everything. Invested his fortune in the Icelandic banks."

"If you're short on cash, you rob a bank. Stealing this, that's a lifestyle."

"I take it you disapprove?"

"Absolutely. Except, that little blue box . . . I stole it."

"Good boy. We're a good team. How about you, Shawn? Any fancy crimes?"

"Just genocide."

The Doctor gave Shawn an uneasy look.

A loud screech interrupted the conversation.

"What was that?" Shawn asked.

"We never did find out why the ship crashed," the Doctor pointed out. "Christina, I think you should come back up."

"Too late. I can see it."

"Careful," the Doctor instructed. "Slowly." He turned to a Tritovore. "Have you got an open-vent system?" "I thought so."

"What does that mean?" Christina asked.

"It's like when birds fly into the engines of an aircraft."

"One of the creatures," Christina said.

"Got trapped in the vents. Caused the crash. Christina, get out."

"It's not moving. I think it's injured."

"No, it's dormant, because it's so cold down there. But your body heat is raising the temperature."

"I tend to have that effect. Almost there."

"Not just the crystal. I need the whole bed, the plate thing," the Doctor explained.

"I've got it!" Christina exclaimed.

The Doctor applied the sonic screwdriver to the winch. "Come on, come on! Come on, come on, come on, come on! It's gonna eat its way up!"

Shawn watched nervously as Christina made her way up. She hit the red button on the way, turning on the security grid and injuring the creature.

"Oh, she's good!" the Doctor exclaimed.

Christina finally got to the top and the Doctor helped her. "That's it, that's it. I've got you. I've got you!"

The Tritovore made a comment.

"Isn't she just?" the Doctor said.

Everyone then ran to the control room.

"Commander!" the Doctor cried. "Mission complete! Now we've got to get back to the 200, all of us."

The commanding Tritovore replied.

"Oh, don't be so daft!" the Doctor said. "A captain can leave his ship if there's a bus standing by."

Everyone heard a rumbling.

"What was that, Doctor? Is there another one of those things?" Shawn asked.

"Maybe they hit a swarm."

"There's more on board?" Christina asked.

"This ship's built inside a metal sleeve. They can move through the infrastructure, all around us."

A loud bang and falling dust alarmed everyone.

"And they wake up hungry," the Doctor said. "Commander, you've got to come with us, right now!"

"You can come back to Earth, we'll find you a home!" Christina offered.

"And that's the word of a lady! Come on!"

Everyone was about to set off, but a creature burst in and began eating a Tritovore. The other aimed its gun, but the creature then attacked, killing that one as well.

"There's nothing we can do," the Doctor said. "Run!"

The Doctor, Shawn, and Christina then ran back to the bus as fast as they could.

Barclay's phone rang and the Doctor eventually answered. "Not now, Malcolm!" he quickly said before hanging up. They finally arrived.

"At last!" Nathan cried. "Where've you been?"

"Get inside, get them sitting down. Now then, let's have a look."

"So what does that crystal do?" Christina asked.

"Oh, nothing, don't need the crystal," the Doctor said, tossing the crystal away.

Shawn retrieved it.

"I risked my life for that!" Christina complained.

"No no, you risked your life for these. The clamps!" The doctor put the clamps on each of the tires as Shawn and Christina followed and then all three boarded the bus.

"But what are the clamps for? Do they turn the wheels?" Christina asked.

"Something like that. I just need to fix this. Have you got a hammer in that bag?"

"Funnily enough," Christina answered as she pulled out a hammer.

"Phone, phone . . ." the Doctor said. He gave Shawn the phone. "Press redial."

Shawn hit redial and put the phone to the Doctor's ear.

"Malcolm, it's me!" the Doctor said. "Ready for what? . . . I'll try to get back. There might be something following us. You need to find a way to close the wormhole . . . Oh, Malcolm! You're brilliant! . . . Sorry, gotta go."

"Ah, it's not compatible!" the Doctor said after trying to fit the clamp and the steering wheel together. "Bus, spaceship, spaceship, bus. I need to weld the two systems together."

"And how do you do that?" Christina asked.

"I need something non-corrosive, something malleable, something ductile, something . . . gold," the Doctor said, looking at Christina.

"Oh, no you don't," Christina replied.

"Christina, what is it worth now?"

Barclay appeared, offering his watch. "Hey, hey, use this!"

"I said gold," the Doctor replied.

"It is gold."

"Oh, they saw you coming. Christina!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"It's not worth our lives," Shawn said.

Christina took out the cup and gave it to the Doctor. "It's over 1,000 years old, worth 18 million pounds. Promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise," the Doctor said. He turned the cup over.

"He's going to destroy it," Shawn said.

The Doctor proceeded to hammer the cup.

"I hate you," Christina complained.

"Here," Shawn said. "The crystal. It might not be worth 18 million pounds, but you probably won't be able to find it on Earth."

Christina gasped. "How old are you?"

"Not old enough," the Doctor answered for Shawn as he continued fitting the pieces together.

Christina kissed Shawn on a cheek.

"This is your driver speaking!" the Doctor said after finishing. "Hold on tight!"

"What for?" Barclay asked. "What's he doing?"

"Do as he says!" Christina yelled, then leaned to the Doctor. "What are you doing?" she asked quietly.

The Doctor ignored her in favor of the bus. "Come on, that's it . . . You can do it, you beauty! One last trip!"

The bus finally powered up and rattled, then levitated.

"Ah, you are so kidding me!" Barclay exclaimed.

"We're flying! It's flying!" Nathan realized.

"He's flying the bus!" said Lou as the bus continued moving through the air.

"It's a miracle!" Angela cried.

"Anti-gravity clamps. Didn't I say? Round we go," said the Doctor. He turned the bus.

"Doctor! They're coming!" Carmen warned.

"Hurry up, Doctor!" Shawn cried.

"Do you think this thing will survive the journey back?" Christina asked.

"Only one way to find out! Next stop . . ."

"Planet Earth!" Christina said.

Everyone held on tight and screamed as the bus went through the wormhole. They soon emerged in London, followed by three creatures.

The passengers rejoiced and the UNIT soldiers shot at the creatures. Some of the bullets hit the bus.

"Are they shooting at us?" Shawn asked.

"Some of the creatures must have made it through," the Doctor said as he dialed Malcolm. "Malcolm! Close that wormhole! . . . He hung up on me!" The Doctor tried to reach Malcolm again. "Malcolm! . . . He hung up on me again!" The Doctor called yet another time. "I need that signal. We've got billions of those things about to fly through! . . . Loop it back through the integrator, and keep the signal ramping up . . . 500 Bernards! Do it, now!"

The Doctor navigated the bus around, trying to find a place to park near the tunnel while evading the creatures.

"Doctor, it's coming for us!" Nathan cried.

"Oh, no you don't!" The Doctor swerved the bus to hit the creature.

Shawn watched as UNIT finally succeeded. "They did it. Those things are dead."

The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief and landed the bus. "Ladies and gentlemen, you have reached your final destination. Welcome home, the mighty 200." He rang the bell.

UNIT clapped outside, prompting the passengers to clap as well. They slowly got up and made their way out. "Welcome back," a soldier said. "If you could step away from the bus to be safe. As fast as you can. It's standard procedure. We need to screen you, and then you'll all be taken to debriefing."

The Doctor held up his psychic paper. "We don't count," he said and proceeded away with Shawn.

Christina tried to follow but wasn't allowed.

The Doctor and Shawn approached Erisa and Malcolm came running up.

"Doctor!" Malcolm cried.

"You must be Malcolm!"

Malcolm gave the Doctor a very big hug. "Oh! Oh, I love you. I love you. I love you."

"To your station, Dr. Taylor," Erisa said.

"Yes, ma'am," Malcolm replied. He went back, but threw another declaration of adoration towards the Doctor.

The Doctor pointed with a smile.

"Doctor," Erisa said while saluting. "I salute you, whether you like it or not. Shawn Farrell, you look even younger than the last time I saw you."

"This isn't the Shawn Farrell you know now. He's from a few years in the past."

"I see. Now, I take it we're safe from those things?"

"They'll start again. Generate a new doorway. It's not their fault, it's their natural life cycle. But I'll see if I can nudge the wormhole on to uninhabited planets. Closer to home, Captain, those two lads, very good in a crisis," the Doctor said, pointing to Nathan and Barclay. "Nathan needs a job, Barclay's good with engines. You could do a lot worse. Privates Nathan and Barclay, UNIT's finest."

"I might be able to find something for them. If not, Torchwood 4 might. Now that they've finally returned, Allen Curbishley will be hiring. I've got something for you." Erisa pointed at the TARDIS.

"Oh, ho! Better than a bus, any day! Hello!"

"Found in the gardens of Buckingham Palace," Erisa explained.

"Oh, she doesn't mind," the Doctor said.

"Now, I've got three dead alien stingrays to clean up. I don't suppose you fancy helping with the paperwork?"

"Not a chance!"

"Till we meet again, Doctor."

"I hope so."

"Shawn," Erisa acknowledged.

The Doctor and Shawn shook Erisa's hands and she departed. Christina soon appeared.

"Little blue box! Just like you said! Right then, off we go! Come on, Doctor, show me the stars!"

The Doctor didn't respond.

"Please, Doctor?" Shawn asked.

The Doctor hesitated again.

"You were right, it's not about the money. I only steal things for the adventure, and today, with you . . . I want more days like this. I want every day to be like this. We're a great team!"

The Doctor gave a small smile and opened the TARDIS door. He tilted his head, inviting Christina in.

Christina stepped in and gasped.

"It's bigger on the inside!" she exclaimed as the Doctor and Shawn entered and closed the door.

"Where to now, Doctor?" Shawn asked.

"Back to San Helios. Just a brief trip."

"Are you serious?" Christina asked.

"Oh, yeah . . ."


	11. The Waters of Mars

Chapter 11: The Waters of Mars

The Doctor was rummaging through a vast closet of different outfits with Christina.

"This place is amazing, Doctor!" Christina exclaimed.

"Here we go!" the Doctor pulled out a red space suit. "Now, one more."

"Thank you so much for letting me come," Christina said.

"A pleasure. I think it'll be good for Shawn, too."

"Doctor, when we were on that Tritovore ship, Shawn mentioned being in grief. Did he lose someone close to him?

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"I was also going to ask him about the genocide. Was he serious?"

"Don't ask him about that. Any of that."

"But Doctor . . . "

"There! I found it!"

The Doctor pulled out another spacesuit. "These will fit you and Shawn. Off we go!"

The Doctor and Christina returned to the console room with the two spacesuits.

"That one's yours," the Doctor explained. "Put it on."

"Are you going to tell us where we are?"

"Mars. We're going for a little walk."

The Doctor, Shawn, and Christina walked around Mars for a while.

"Doctor, how much time would we have it we tore a hole in the suit?"

"Not long, so you probably don't want to do that."

"Perhaps we should steer clear of these rocky areas then," Christina recommended.

"First trip out and you're already complaining?"

Christina laughed. "Just pointing out the obvious, Doctor."

They soon came across a large structure attached to a rocket.

"Wow," Shawn said.

"Doctor, what year is this?" Christina asked.

"I have no idea. This was random."

The three continued gazing at the base.

"Absolutely beautiful," the Doctor remarked.

The Doctor suddenly felt something press against his back.

"Rotate slowly," a robotic voice said.

Shawn and Christina turned to see a small robot. The Doctor put his arms up and obeyed the robot.

"You are under arrest, for trespassing. Gadget gadget."

"Okay, three of us, one of it," Christina said. "And it doesn't look like it can move very quickly. I can easily kick the gun away."

"Now what kind of guests would we be if we did that?" the Doctor replied. "Let's follow it to base and meet the people there."

The Doctor, Shawn, and Christina entered the base and were instructed to remove their suits. They then entered a room with curious individuals and a woman holding a gun at them.

"State your names, ranks, and intentions," the woman said.

"The Doctor . . . The Doctor . . . Fun."

"Christina de Souza . . . Lady . . . Also fun."

"Shawn Farrell . . . Nothing . . . Having something to do."

A man burst in. "Three? Three people on Mars! How?"

"They were wearing this," a woman said with a German accent. "I have never seen anything like it."

"What did mission control say?" the man asked.

"They're out of range for ten hours with the solar flares," the German woman replied.

"If we could cut the chat, everyone," the first woman said.

"Actually, perhaps we should continue," Christina suggested. "You know our names. I think we should have the courtesy of knowing the name of someone pointing a gun at us."

"Oh, come on. We're the first off-world colonists in history. Everyone on planet Earth knows who we are."

"My arms are getting tired," Shawn complained. "Could you put the gun away, please?"

"Why would we trust you?"

"Because we're unarmed and outnumbered."

The woman hesitated and finally put the gun down.

"Thank you," Shawn said.

"This is Bowie Base One," the Doctor realized.

"Yes," the woman said.

"Founded July 1st, 2058, in the Gusev Crater. You're Adelaide Brooke! Captain Adelaide Brooke! And Ed! You're Deputy Edward Gold! Tarak Ital! Yuri Kerenski! You're Steffi Ehrlich! Roman Groom! Mia Bennett!"

"As I said, Doctor, everyone knows our names," Adelaide responded.

A voice came through the intercom. "Excuse me, boss. Computer log says we've got three extra persons on site. How is that possible?"

"Keep the biodome closed," Adelaide ordered. "And when using open comms, you call me Captain."

"Yeah, but . . . Who is it?"

Adelaide cut the transmission.

"Was that Margaret Cain?"

"Yes," Adelaide answered.

"Wow! And Andrew Stone is around, too, I reckon?"

"Yes . . ."

"What's the date, the exact date?"

"November 21st, 2059. Now, if you're finished, I demand to know why you are here."

"We're just visiting," Christina answered.

"Oh, just a quick trip to Mars and back?" Adelaide questioned.

"Well, yes. The Doctor . . . What is it?" Christina saw concern in the Doctor's eyes.

"We should go . . . We really should go. I'm sorry, I'm sorry with all of my hearts, but we should go. It's been an honor, truly." The Doctor walked around, shaking everyone's hands. "It's been incredible meeting you all. The Martian pioneers. Thank you so much. Shawn, Christina, shake their hands. It's really a privilege to meet them." The Doctor tapped Gadget.

"Gadget gadget," it said.

"You control that thing with autoglove response?"

"You got it," Roman answered.

"That's great work. Fantastic! Brilliant. Now, if we can just get our suits . . ."

"Neither of you are going anywhere until you tell us your intentions! Where are you from? The Phillipines? Spain?" Adelaide asked.

"Perhaps an independent, captain," Ed suggested. "Branson's talked about a Mars shot for a while."

"We're on our own," the Doctor explained. "We're not with a country or a corporation. Look at Shawn. No one would hire a teenager for this, would they?"

Shawn frowned, but didn't really care.

"How did you get here?" Adelaide asked.

"I have a ship."

"Nothing registered on my monitors," Ed said.

"You'd probably have to widen the threshold parameters to detect my ship. Plus, we walked for a bit before reaching this base."

"You just went for a stroll on Mars?" Ed questioned.

"This is Shawn's and Christina's first time!"

"But not yours?" Adelaide asked.

"I've been here before."

"One of the manned orbital probes?" Ed suggested.

"No . . ."

"Doctor, why can't you tell them about where and when the TARDIS brought us from?" Christina asked.

"The TARDIS?" Ed asked.

"When?" asked Adelaide.

"The TARDIS is the name of our ship," Shawn replied, unsure about answering the second question.

"We . . . travel in time," the Doctor finally admitted.

"Time travel's impossible," Roman said.

"Maybe it is presently," Christina said, "but not in the future. And as luck would have it, time travel permits us to travel to a period before it was developed. Convenient, isn't it?"

No one spoke for a few seconds.

"Okay, three possibilities, here," the Doctor said. "One: We've been sent by competitors trying to undermine your efforts. You can see that we don't have any means to do so. After we leave, you can increase the threshold parameters and keep an eye on us until we completely disappear to make sure we do nothing bad. Two: We really are time travelers, and we really are just looking around, enjoying this period. No harm. You should just let us go because we've stumbled upon a critical point in human history and we shouldn't interfere with timelines. Third, no, three: We're just crazy, in which case, still no harm. And we should go."

"Fine," Adelaide said after another moment of silence. "If you want to go, then go now."

Ed walked over to a computer. "Maggie, Andy, if you want to meet the only other human beings that you're gonna see in the next five years, better come take a look."

A loud snarl came over the intercoms.

"What was that?" Mia asked.

"Ohhh, we really should go," the Doctor said.

"This is Central," Ed said. "Biodome, report immediately."

Adelaide joined Ed at the computer, along with everyone else. "Show me the biodome," she ordered.

Ed brought up security footage, but he could only see static. "Internal cameras are down."

"Show me the exterior," Adelaide said.

Ed switched to another view. Everyone saw the dome and the lights going out.

"I'm going over," Adelaide said. "Doctor, with me. Christina and Shawn, you two stay here."

"Actually, I'm sorry," the Doctor said. "I'd love to help, but we need to leave. Right now."

"Steffi, lock up their spacesuits," Adelaide said. She turned to the Doctor. "This started as soon as you three arrived, so you're not going anywhere, except with me. Tarak, you come along, too. Same with Gadget."

Adelaide then set off with the Doctor, Tarak, and Gadget.

"Will we be able to maintain contact with them?" Christina asked.

"Yeah," Roman answered. "We'll have a communication channel open and Gadget is equipped with a camera."

"Are you worried?" Mia asked.

"Not really," Christina asked, "but the Doctor is my ride home, unless you can fly the TARDIS, Shawn."

"I can't," Shawn answered. "I tried to pay attention once to what he was doing, but I couldn't follow."

"Do you know what's going on, Doctor?" they heard Adelaide ask. "You know about us. Do you know what's happening?"

"Sorry, no. The history books don't go into detail."

"So what do they say?"

"I probably shouldn't reveal that. Spoilers," the Doctor said.

"If something's going on that will endanger my crew, I don't care about spoiler policies," Adelaide said.

"But you might end up changing history if you know ahead of time what's going to happen."

"Gadget gadget!" the robot suddenly cried.

"I hate robots," the Doctor said. "Did I say?

"Yeah, and he's not too fond of you," Roman shot back via the communication channel. "What's wrong with robots?"

"It's not the robots. It's the people, dressing them up and giving them silly voices, like you're reducing them."

"Yeah," Roman responded. "Friend of mine, she made her domestic robot look like a dog."

"Ah, well, dogs are different."

"But I adapted Gadget out of the worker drones." Roman explained. "Those things are huge! They built this place when the shell was lowered down from orbit. They've got a strength capacity of –"

"The channel is open for essential communications only," Adelaide warned.

"Sorry," Roman said. "Love those drones." He looked up at Shawn and Christina.

"So, he's a dog person?" Roman asked.

"I don't really know. I don't know him that well," Shawn said.

Roman looked at Christina.

"I know him less than Shawn does," Christina said.

"But you travel with him? All the way to Mars?"

"And beyond, I hope," Christina said, confusing Roman.

"What do you do when you aren't traveling?" Roman asked.

"I'm . . . an art collector."

"I'm . . . a medical . . . assistant."

Roman frowned. "You're not a student? You a prodigy?"

"I . . . go to school part time. When I'm not on vacation," Shawn struggled. "Away from school . . . "

Christina laughed.

"I'm sorry," Shawn said to Christina. "I guess I don't have the experience you do."

"Yeah," Roman said. "Nothing suspicious about you three at all . . . "

Shawn eased away and slowly walked over to Steffi and Mia. "What are you doing?"

"I'm analyzing the sound we heard," Steffi answered. "If we can identify it, we might know how to deal with it."

"Have you ever heard anything like it before here?" Shawn asked.

"No," Mia answered.

Shawn continued looking around, not knowing what to do.

"Yuri," Tarak said over the speaker. "I've got Margaret Cain, head trauma. I need a full medpack."

"I've got it. Medpack on its way," Yuri answered.

"I'm going to help!" Ed said as he dashed out. Shawn followed him.

Shawn was running down with Ed and Yuri.

"What are you doing?" Ed asked Shawn.

"Maybe I can help," Shawn answered.

They came across Maggie lying down. The Doctor, Adelaide, and Tarak stood nearby. Shawn bent down.

"Don't touch her, Shawn! Let them handle it. Don't touch her, use the gloves!"

"What's wrong with her?" Shawn asked.

"I don't know, but touching her could be a bad idea. Don't take that risk."

"Get her to sickbay," Tarak said. "Put her in isolation."

"We're going to the biodome," Adelaide said. "Tarak and Doctor, with me. Yuri can take care of her. Ed, Shawn, go back. Gadget, stand guard. Keep an eye on this area."

"Gadget gadget!" the robot called.

"Captain, you're gonna need me," Ed said. "Andy's the only other crew member out here, and if that wasn't an accident, then he's gone wild."

"You've deserted your post," Adelaide responded. "Consider that an official warning. Now, get back to work. Doctor!"

Adelaide and the Doctor continued down the corridor.

Ed bent down and helped Yuri lift Maggie onto the board.

"I can hold your stuff," Shawn offered.

Shawn took Yuri's medpack and walked back to the base with Yuri, Ed, and Maggie. He later kept Yuri company in the medical bay.

"She's waking up," Shawn told Yuri.

"Maggie! Welcome back!" Yuri said. He grabbed a communicator. "Captain, it's Maggie. She's awake. She's back with us." Yuri then turned to Maggie, who was in a separate room. "Hey, how are you, soldier? Just take it easy. Can you remember what happened?"

Maggie tried to steady herself. She shook her head. "I was just working. Then I woke . . . woke up here."

"What about Andy?" Adelaide asked. "We can't find him. Was he all right?"

"I don't know," Maggie answered. "I just . . . "

"If you remember anything, let me know straightaway," Adelaide ordered.

"Yuri, does she know how she ended up in the tunnel?" Ed asked.

"And keep the comms clear," Adelaide said. "Everything goes through me, got that?"

"Come on. Just let me out of here," Maggie pleaded while smiling. "I'm fine. Just groggy."

"You know the rules. 24 hours," Yuri answered.

Christina entered. "Well, I think I've seen enough," she said. "Does he always get sidetracked like this?"

"Yeah, I think so," Shawn answered.

Yuri pulled up a media player on the computer and grabbed a chart and pen.

A man appeared on the screen, speaking Russian.

"Is that your brother?" Maggie asked.

"Well, it's only a repeat. The solar flares are still up. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just . . . you know . . ."

Christina joined Yuri in front of the computer.

"He makes me laugh, though. It's his husband, he spends money like . . . an idiot!"

Maggie lowered her head and started shaking.

"Yuri!" Shawn cried. "Something's wrong."

Yuri approached the glass. "Maggie, what's wrong? Maggie!"

Yuri quickly grabbed a couple gloves and put them on. He tried to open the door to Maggie's room, but had trouble.

"This has been jammed for weeks, now."

Christina pushed Yuri away and rammed into the door, opening it. She walked over to Maggie.

Maggie quickly looked up and sprayed Christina with water. Christina screamed.

Yuri ran out of the room, pushing Shawn out with him.

"Wait!" Shawn said.

Yuri ran to a set of controls.

"What are you doing?" Shawn asked.

"I'm sealing the door at maximum."

Shawn saw Maggie approach a still Christina and put her hand on Christina. "Christina! We need to get Christina out of there!" Shawn cried.

"Whatever's affecting Maggie might be spread through the water. Look at her! She's doing something and Christina isn't safe to be around anymore." Yuri grabbed a communicator. "Captain! Maggie . . . I don't know what's going on. Water is pouring out of her mouth."

"Yuri, calm down," Adelaide said. "Just tell me what's happened to her."

"The skin is . . . "

"Broken," Shawn said. "Like you'd see in Death Valley or something. Doctor, what do we do?"

"She's exuding water," Yuri continued. "And now Christina is too. We went into the treatment room and Maggie sprayed Christina with water. They're both like that!"

"Yuri, keep them contained," Ed said. "Seal the door at maximum. I'm on my way!"

"I've sealed both in. I think Shawn and I are dry. Maggie did not get us."

Ed burst in and was shocked by the sight. Both Christina and Maggie were staring out.

"Yuri," Steffi asked over a communicator. "What is she? Captain, we need you back here."

"Just tell me that Maggie and Christina are contained," Adelaide said. "Can you confirm, Ed?"

"Confirmed," Ed said. "They're locked in."

"Keep surveillance till I get back. And close down all water supplies. All pipes and outlets, don't consume anything. Have you got that, everyone? That's an order. Don't drink the water. Don't even touch it. Not one drop."

"Christina?" Shawn asked. "Can you hear me?"

Christina and Maggie both stared forward, mouths open, looking around.

"Can you understand me?" Shawn asked. He turned to Yuri. "What is this?"

"I don't know," Yuri answered. "I've never seen anything like this before. I've never heard of anything like this!"

"I'm sorry, Christina," Shawn said quietly. "I'm so sorry."

Shawn paced around the medical bay with Yuri and Ed.

"Biodome tunnel is out of bounds," Adelaide soon said. "Andy and Tarak are infected, repeat, infected. Make no contact. And if they make any move, tell me. I'm going to the medical dome."

The Doctor soon arrived with Adelaide.

"Has that door got a Hardinger seal?" Adelaide asked.

"No, just basic," Ed answered.

"Doctor, what's wrong with them?" Shawn asked.

"The moment they head for the door, we evacuate."

"I don't know, Shawn. Yet."

"Pulse is low for both," Ed informed them. "Electrical activity in the brain seems to be going haywire."

"Can they talk?"

"No," Shawn answered.

"Maggie?" Adelaide said as Christina and Maggie looked at the Doctor. "Can you hear me? Do you know who I am? Your commanding officer, Captain Adelaide Brooke. Can you tell me what happened?"

"Hoorghwall in schtochton aaaaaaahn warrellinsh och fortabellan iin hoorgwahn," the Doctor said.

"What language is that?" Ed asked.

"Ancient North Martian," the Doctor answered.

"Don't be ridiculous," Adelaide said.

"It's like they recognized it," Ed commented.

"And their eyes are different," the Doctor noticed. "They're clear, like they're closer to human."

"Not close enough for me," Ed said."

"Where do you get your water from?" the Doctor asked.

"The ice field," Adelaide answered. "That's why we chose the crater, we're on top of an underground glacier."

"Tons of water," the Doctor said. "Marvelous."

"But every single drop is filtered," Yuri explained. "It's screened. It's safe."

"Looks like it, yeah," the Doctor responded sarcastically.

"If something was frozen down there," Ed suggested. "A viral life form, held in the ice for all those years . . . "

"Look at their mouths," the Doctor continued. "All blackened, like there's some sort of fission. This thing, whatever it is, doesn't just hide in water, it creates water." He looked at Christina. "Tell me what you want."

Neither Christina nor Maggie said anything. They merely kept on staring around.

"More water, perhaps?" the Doctor guessed. "The birds aren't like this, neither are the insects. It chose humans, but that's not all. Tarak changed immediately, but Maggie didn't. Whatever that is stayed hidden inside her, maybe to infiltrate."

"Captain, a word?" Ed requested. Adelaide joined him away from the others.

"Doctor, what can we do?" Shawn asked.

"I don't know yet."

"But there is a way to cure her?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know that, either."

"If it's just an infection," Shawn started.

"It's more than that. I'm sorry."

Adelaide came back and spoke into her communicator. "This is Captain Brooke. I'm declaring action one. Repeat to all crewmembers, this is action one, with immediate effect. Evacuate the base."

Adelaide looked at Christina and Maggie. "Steffi, what's your estimate on shuttle viability?" she asked.

"It's a nine-month flight, it'll take three hours to load what we need," Steffi answered.

"You've got 20 minutes. And give me a report on Andy and Tarak."

"Still in the biodome tunnel. They're just standing there, like they're waiting."

"Keep an eye on them. And make that 20 minutes 15! Ed, line up the shuttle, go straight to ignition status," Adelaide ordered as she gathered supplies.

"Doing it now," Ed said. He promptly left.

"But what about Maggie?" Yuri asked.

"And Christina!" Shawn added.

"They stay behind," Adelaide said. "We've got no way to contain them on board. Close this place down. I want the power directed to the shuttle."

"The TARDIS, Doctor? Can you contain them there?" Shawn asked.

"No, I can't," the Doctor approached Adelaide. "Captain, I told you that water can wait. What if you all are already infected?"

"We've been drinking the same water," Adelaide said.

"And if you take that back to Earth . . . one drop . . ."

"But we're presuming infection," Adelaide countered. "If we can find out how this thing got through, when it got through . . . Yuri, continue with Action One. I'm going to inspect the ice-field."

"Doctor, why can't you use the TARDIS?" Shawn asked.

The Doctor sighed and started banging his head against the glass behind him. "Because Maggie has to die. Come on. We need to go with the captain."

The Doctor and Shawn ran towards Adelaide.

"Why does she have to die?" Shawn asked.

"Not now, we're getting closer to Adelaide."

"Why can't she know?"

"Because she has to die, too."

The Doctor and Shawn soon caught up.

"All I'm saying is bikes. Little foldaway bikes," the Doctor suggested. "Don't weigh a thing."

The Doctor, Shawn, and Adelaide eventually reached a rail above a field of ice.

"They tell legends of Mars," the Doctor said, "from long ago of a fine and noble race who built an empire out of snow. The Ice Warriors."

"I haven't got time for stories," Adelaide responded.

"Perhaps they found something down there," the Doctor continued. "Used their might and their wisdom to freeze it."

Adelaide walked to a computer. "We need to find any sort of change in the water process. We've got to date the infection."

The Doctor went to another computer next to Adelaide's.

"You know so much," Adelaide said. "You can help us, Doctor. There must be some reason why you haven't left yet."

"I can't . . ." the Doctor said. "This moment, this precise moment in time, it's fixed. There are tiny, precious moments that are fixed. Everything else is in flux, anything can happen, but those certain moments, they have to stand. This base, on Mars, with you, Adelaide Brooke, this is one vital moment. What happens here must always happen. I can't change that. Who am I to change history on this scale?"

The Doctor looked at Shawn, who realized the implications of the Doctor's statement.

"And what is happening now?" Adelaide asked.

"I don't know, but I think something wonderful happens. I think it started 50 years ago, isn't that right?"

"I've never told anyone that."

"You told your daughter. And maybe, one day, she tells the story to her daughter of the day the Earth was stolen and moved across the universe. You were there . . ."

"I saw the Daleks," Adelaide said. "We looked up, the sky had changed. Everyone was running and screaming. And my father took hold of me. He took me to the attic to be safe and then left to find my mother. I never saw either of them again. They were never found. But on the streets, there was panic and burning. I went to the window, and there in the sky, I saw it. And it saw me. It stared at me, looked right into me, and then, it left. It simply went away. I knew, that night, I knew I would follow it."

"But not for revenge," the Doctor guessed.

"What would be the point of that?" Adelaide replied.

"That's what makes you remarkable," the Doctor said, smiling. "And that's how you create history."

"What do you mean?"

"Imagine it, Adelaide. If you began a journey that takes the human race all the way out to the stars. It begins with you. And then your granddaughter, you inspire her so that in 30 years, Susie Fontana Brooke is the pilot of the first light-speed ship to Proxima Centauri. And then everywhere. With her children, and her children's children forging the way to the Dragon Star, the Celestial Belt of the Winter Queen, the Map of the Water Snake Wormholes. One day a Brooke will fall in love with a Tandonian prince, and that's the start of a whole new species. But everything starts with you, Adelaide. From 50 years ago, to right here, today. Imagine."

"Doctor, why tell me this? When you haven't been able to tell us anything else?"

"As consolation."

Shawn looked down.

The computer trilled and an image of Andy Stone came up.

"Andy Stone. He logged on yesterday." Adelaide played a video clip.

"Maintenance log, 21-20, November 2059," Andy said on the video. "Number three water filter's bust. And guess what? The spares they sent don't fit. What a surprise. Over and out."

"A filter," the Doctor said. "One tiny little filter and then the flood."

"But that means the infection arrived today, and the water's only cycled out of the biodome after a week. The rest of us can't be infected. We can leave." Adelaide set off and spoke into her radio. "Ed, we're clean! How are we doing?"

"Shuttle's active, stage one. I haven't got time to convey the protein packs. If you want food you're gonna have to carry it by hand. Start loading! Right now!"

The Doctor, Shawn, and Adelaide ran down a corridor.

"You were right, Doctor," Adelaide said.

"What about?"

"Bikes!"

They eventually rejoined the others. Adelaide grabbed the spacesuits and handed them over.

"Get to your ship. I'm saving my people. You two save yourselves. I know what this moment is. It's the moment we escape. Now get out."

The Doctor and Shawn watched as the astronauts scrambled to get their supplies in order and panicked when they learned that Andy and Tarak were on the roof.

"Come on, Shawn," the Doctor finally said.

"What about Christina?"

"I can't save her. Even if there was anything I could do to reverse the process before she infects us both, I would still have to get access to the medical bay and safely separate her from Maggie. I can't do any of that. I'm sorry, Shawn."

The Doctor pulled Shawn away and they got dressed and headed into the airlock. The Doctor tried to activate it to leave, but couldn't.

"Tell me what happens, Doctor," Adelaide said over a speaker. "Please, Doctor, tell me."

"I don't know."

"Don't lie to me. Now tell me. Please."

"Imagine you knew something, Adelaide. Imagine you found yourself somewhere. I don't know, Pompeii. Imagine you were in Pompeii."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Adelaide asked.

"Could you stop what would happen? Would you want to? You're taking action one. There are four more standard action procedures."

"Captain, we need you right now," Steffi interrupted.

"I'm still here," Adelaide said.

"Action five is the final option," the Doctor continued. "Today, on the 21st of November, 2059, Captain Brooke activates a nuclear device at the heart of the central dome, taking the base and all her crew members with her. No one ever knows why. You did it to save Earth. That's what inspires your granddaughter. She takes humanity out into the galaxy, because you die, on Mars. You die, today. She flies out there like she's trying to meet you."

"I won't die," Adelaide said. "I will not."

"But your death creates the future. This is a pivotal moment in human history, right here, right now. You have to die, so history can continue and humanity can leave the galaxy."

"Help me. Why won't you help, Doctor, if you know all of this?"

"I can't."

"Why can't you find a way? Tell me."

"Adelaide, I swear. I'm sorry, but I can't. Sometimes I can, sometimes I do. Most times, I can save someone. Or anyone. But not you. You wondered all your life why that Dalek spared you. I think it knew. Your death is fixed, in time, forever. I'm sorry."

After a moment, Adelaide hit a button to unlock the airlock.

The Doctor and Shawn continued out, walking towards the TARDIS. They heard the astronauts try to survive. They heard Steffi and Roman fall. Then they heard that Christina and Maggie had reached the shuttle, so Ed blew it up. The Doctor and Shawn flew from the explosion and landed.

Shawn stayed down. "This is my fault, Doctor. Christina was here because of me. I didn't want to be alone with you."

The Doctor slowly stood up and stared at the base for several seconds.

"What's wrong?" Shawn asked.

After a brief moment, the Doctor gave Shawn the TARDIS key.

"Get to the TARDIS, now. Keep the door open. Run, as quickly as you can, now!"

Shawn ran back to the TARDIS, even if he didn't understand the urgency or what the Doctor was planning. When he was close, he heard Gadget zooming up and opened the door just as Gadget arrived.

Shawn watched as Gadget set the TARDIS controls to take the TARDIS to the central dome and he watched as Adelaide and Mia ran in with the Doctor. The Doctor took over the TARDIS.

Mia began crying quietly.

"We're dry. Their cries," Adelaide said. "They must have been summoning whatever else was around. We almost got wet."

Mia and Adelaide then took notice of the TARDIS interior and stood quietly in shock. The TARDIS soon landed.

"Come on," the Doctor said proudly. "Let's go."

"What about the explosion?" Adelaide asked.

"Come see for yourself." The Doctor opened the TARDIS door and slowly walked out with everyone following. They were on Earth.

"Isn't anyone going to thank me?" the Doctor asked.

Gadget advanced, but then shut down

"He's lost his signal," the Doctor said. "Doesn't know where he is."

"That's my house," Adelaide said, referring to the townhouse behind the Doctor.

"Don't you get it?" the Doctor said. "This is the 21st of November, 2059. Same day on Earth. And it's snowing. I love snow."

"What is that thing?" Mia asked. "It's bigger . . . I mean, it's bigger on the inside!" She ran away.

Adelaide was about to run after Mia, but walked to the Doctor instead. "You saved us."

"Just think though. Your daughter, and your daughter's daughter, you can see them again. Family reunion!"

"But I'm supposed to be dead."

"Not anymore."

"But Susie, my granddaughter. The person she's supposed to become might never exist now."

"Nah! Captain Adelaide can inspire her face-to-face. Different details, but the story's the same."

"That's a big risk to take, Doctor," Shawn said.

"I'm willing to take it. And weren't you the one who was so desperate to save Christina? I saved two people today! Are you upset simply because you don't know them?"

Shawn looked insulted.

"Christina shouldn't have been there, just as you two shouldn't," Adelaide side. "But me, if my family changes, the whole of history could change. The future of the human race. No one should have that much power."

"Tough," the Doctor replied.

"You should have left us there."

"Adelaide, I've done this sort of thing before, in small ways - saved some little people. But never someone as important as you. Oh, I'm good!"

"Little people? Do you mean Mia? Who decides she's so unimportant? You?"

"For a long time now, I thought I was just a survivor, but I'm not. I'm the winner. That's who I am."

"You're wrong! I don't care who you are, you're wrong," Adelaide said.

"That's for me to decide. Now, you'd better get home. Oh, it's all locked up, you've been away. Still, that's easy." The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver at the door to make it unlock. "All yours."

"Is there nothing you can't do?" Adelaide asked.

"Not anymore."

Adelaide walked into her home and the Doctor continued to the TARDIS. He noticed that Shawn hadn't moved.

"What's the matter, Shawn?"

Shawn didn't answer. He approached the TARDIS. Then, he heard a laser shot behind him.

The Doctor and Shawn turned around.

"Did she just . . . ?" Shawn asked.

The Doctor looked anxious as he leaned against the TARDIS. Then he looked around it. "I've gone too far." He looked ahead. "Is this it? My death? Is it time?"

"Who are you talking to, Doctor?" Shawn asked.

The Doctor went back into the TARDIS and stayed silent. A bell rang in the distance.

"What is that, Doctor?"

"No," the Doctor said.

"What?"

"No! I won't! Shawn, it's time to go! Where do you want to go? We can anywhere and anywhen you want. Just name it. Where do you want to go?"

"Home. I want to go home. Now."

"There's so much out there, Shawn!"

"I don't care, I want to go home."

"Suit yourself."

The TARDIS landed near a mall. The Doctor and Shawn came out.

"It's been three-and-a-half weeks since you left. Maybe that's long enough for Jordan. Do you know where we are?"

"I do."

"Good, I'll be off, then. See the universe." The Doctor headed back.

"Doctor, you do need someone to stop you. But it can't be me, and I can't wait around for you find that person."

The Doctor continued and the TARDIS dematerialized.

Shawn walked over to a payphone. After several minutes, he got directed to Jordan.

"Shawn? Where are you? I've been trying to locate you for weeks," Jordan said weakly, lying in bed with attendants watching over him.

"Jordan, what's wrong? You sound different."

"We can discuss this when you come back. Where are you?"

"Just outside of Seattle. Orchard Crest Mall."

"I'll send someone over right away. Be on the lookout."

"All right."

"Welcome back home, Shawn."

* * *

><p>One more chapter. It'll be very short - the Doctor pays Shawn a visit at the end of The End of Time.<p> 


	12. The End of Time

**Who Lives and Who Dies**

Here's the last chapter. Nothing much here, really, but I didn't want to end everything on a bad note.**  
><strong>

Chapter 12: The End of Time

Shawn was approaching the 4400 Center when he noticed someone watching him. It was the Doctor.

"Doctor," Shawn said hesitantly. "It's been a while. Years."

"Shawn Farrell, leading the 4400 Center. Brilliant."

"I took over as soon as I came back from traveling with you. Jordan became incapacitated while I was away. Long story with a baby involved."

"I was wrong, Shawn. I shouldn't have changed history on Mars, but I will still tell you that you will do a great job here."

"Thanks, Doctor."

The Doctor suddenly looked weak.

"Are you all right, Doctor?"

"I'm dying, Shawn. That's why I came."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Doctor. I really am. Is there anything I can do?"

"I know a lot's happened in the past few years," the Doctor responded, not wanting to answer Shawn's question. Anyway, I just came to see how you were doing and to say that you were right. About Donna being right. I do need someone. Maybe in the next life."

"Doctor . . ."

"It's all right, Shawn. It was nice having you around."

"I admit it was fun, when things weren't falling apart."

"I've been told I choose my companions well. I think I would have chosen you, even if weren't forced into it."

"Thanks, Doctor."

"Take care of yourself, Shawn."

Shawn felt like reaching out, but he could tell from the Doctor's expression that the Doctor needed to go. Shawn simply nodded and then watched the Doctor depart and enter the TARDIS.

"Bye, Doctor."

* * *

><p>Thank you very much for reading. I hope you enjoyed this story.<p> 


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